Question : Alzheimer and Dementia Diseases

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the number of people suffering from alzheimer, dementia and related elderly diseases is on the rise in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor during each of the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government is implementing any scheme/programme to address the health related problems of elderly people including those suffering from aforesaid diseases and if so, the details thereof; and

(d) whether the Government has set up research institutes for the said diseases at district hospitals under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) and if so, the details thereof, funds allocated/released/utilized for National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) and NPHCE during the last three years?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a) & (b): The data regarding number of persons suffering from Alzheimer, Dementia and related elderly diseases is not maintained centrally. However, as per Dementia India Report 2010 brought out by Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Society of India (ARDSI), in India there were over 3.7 million persons estimated with dementia (2.1 million women and 1.5 million men). A major proportion of these patients suffer from Alzheimer disease.
(c ) & (d): With the objective to address the health related problems of the elderly people, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) during 2010-11 with a view to provide separate and specialized comprehensive health care to the senior citizens at various levels of state health care delivery system including outreach services.
A total no. of 227 districts have been approved for implementation of NPHCE upto the financial year 2015-16. In addition to this, 15 out of 20 identified Medical Institutions have been funded for development of Regional Geriatric Centres (RGCs) under tertiary care activities of the programme. Besides, 02 National Centres of Ageing (NCAs), within the premises of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Madras Medical College (MMC), Chennai, have been approved to be set-up during the remaining period of 12th Five year Plan. The details of the fund released to States/UTs under NPHCE and National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) are at Annexure.
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