Question : GERIATRIC CARE

(a) the funds allocated in the Twelfth Five Year Plan for geriatric care;

(b) the number of vacancies for the post of senior geriatric specialists in Central Government hospitals in the country;

(c) the number of medical colleges and institutions in India offering a specialized course in geriatric care and the number of seats available for the same;

(d) whether the Government has taken note of disparity between the supply and demand of special care for the elderly; and

(e) if so, the steps taken/proposed by the Government to encourage geriatrics as an area of specialization amongst the medical students?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)

(a) An amount of Rs.3106.50 crore has been sought for the Twelfth Five Year Plan for the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE).

(b) As per information available, there is no post of Senior Geriatric Specialists in the Central Government Hospitals. The Academic Committee of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi has recommended for creation of the following faculty posts:

1. Professor (1)

2. Associate Professor (1)

3. Assistant Professor (2)

(c) Health being a State subject, such information is not centrally maintained. However, as per information provided by Madras Medical College, Chennai, Post Graduate (MD) Course in Geriatric Medicine is being offered by Madras Medical College, Chennai with annual intake of 3 students; Christian Medical College, Vellore and Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi with annual intake of one student each. Post Graduate Course in Geriatric Medicine with an annual intake of 4 students has been created at AIIMS, New Delhi in January, 2012.

(d) Yes.

(e) The Government of India has launched the “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly” (NPHCE) in the year 2010-11 to address health related problems of elderly people. Health manpower development for geriatric services is one of the basic aims of the NPHCE programme.