Healthcare programme for elderly approved
By IANSTuesday, February 22, 2011
NEW DELHI - The government has approved a special programme for providing proper healthcare facilities for the elderly, parliament was informed Tuesday.
“Government of India has approved the National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) to improve health services for the elderly,” Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
The plan includes setting up eight geriatric care centers across the country, he said.
Geriatric units will also be opened at 100 district hospitals in 21 states, and units will also be created at community and primary health centres. Development of manpower for this is among the highlights of the plan.
“Funds for all 21 states and eight regional geriatric ventres have been sanctioned. So far, funds have been released to 3 regional geriatric centres and a state on receipt of bank account details and signing of a MoU,” Azad added.
