The basic aim of the NPHCE programme is to provide separate, specialized and comprehensive health care to the senior citizens at various levels of state health care delivery system including outreach services.
The major components of the NPHCE are establishment of Department of Geriatric in identified Medical Institutions as Regional Geriatric Centres for different regions of the country and to provide dedicated health facilities in District Hospitals, CHCs, PHCs and Sub Centres levels.
Following facilities are being provided under the Programme:
• Geriatric OPD, 30 bedded Geriatric ward for in-patient care, etc at Regional Geriatric Centres. The Regional Geriatric Centres will also undertake PG Courses in Geriatric for developing Human Resource.
• Geriatric OPD and 10 bed Geriatric Ward at District Hospitals.
• Bi-weekly Geriatric Clinic at Community Health Centres (CHCs)
• Weekly Geriatric Clinic at Primary Health Centre (PHCs).
• Provision of Aids and Appliances at Sub-centres.
At present, the NPHCE is being implemented in 8 Regional Geriatric Centres and 100 identified districts, as envisaged in the 11th Five Year Plan. The Programme is continuing in the 12th Five Year Plan with establishment of 12 more Regional Geriatric Centres and addition of 225 more districts and establishment of 2 National Institute of Ageing in the country.
In Uttar Pradesh, in addition to the Regional Geriatric Centre at Banaras Hindu University, the Programme is under implementation in the Districts of Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Jhansi, LakhimpurKheri, Farookhabad, Firozabad, Etawah, Lalitpur and Jalaun. Funds amounting to Rs.1855.04 lakh have been released to these districts and Rs.213.65 lakh have been released to the Regional Geriatric Centre at Banaras Hindu University.
This was stated by Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.
