Elderly Care: Geriatric Unit To Open Soon At Pune District Hospital For Outpatient, Inpatient Care

The elderly in Pune will soon have access to a geriatric unit at the Aundh District Hospital. The unit is on the hospital campus to provide both outpatient department (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) care for elderly patients. For IPD care, there will be 10 beds, while the OPD services will offer a range of medical services available at the hospital, including general medicine, orthopaedics, ENT, and ophthalmology, among others, according to a report by the Hindustan Times.

The unit is ready to start next month after the final touch-up and finishing work, including the painting and electrical work, is completed.

Lab investigation facilities will also be available for diagnosis of the diseases and providing care. The plan also includes organising health camps.

Reportedly, the health department has contacted private organisations to provide other services at the hospital. The unit is set up under the National Programme for Health Care for the Elderly (NPHCE), which prescribes geriatric care units in district hospitals with 10-bed wards, additional machinery, equipment, human resources, consumables, and drugs.

The elderly population is gradually rising in the country. It is projected to increase from 10 per cent to 20.8 per cent of the total population by 2050, to become around 347 million. Considering this number, it becomes necessary to take measures and ensure that older adults in India can live with dignity and are cared for. 

Healthcare is the top priority in elderly care. The NPHCE establishes a framework for developing geriatric units in district hospitals nationwide to ensure easy access for the elderly.

What Is The National Programme For Health Care Of The Elderly (NPHCE)?

The NPHCE is a programme launched in 2010-11 by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to address the needs of the elderly and provide them with comprehensive care through preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care. One of the other purposes is to mitigate the burden of non-communicable disease (NCD).

NCDs are typically those diseases that develop over a long period and could be due to behavioural, physiological, environmental issues or a combination of these, or could be genetic. These are also known as chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.

In addition to offering health care services, the programme also aims to raise awareness among people. The centres established under the scheme, including primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), sub-centres (SCs), and regional geriatric centres (RGCs) have an objective to sensitise people and promote awareness about geriatric care.

As of March 31, 2024, there were 31,882 PHCs, 6,359 CHCs, 1,69,615 SCs, and 714 district hospitals.