Medical Facility to Senior Citizens
As per Census 2011, the 60+ years aged people in India are 103.84 million that accounts for 8.6% of the total population of India. The State-wise details of senior citizens in India are given below:
| State-wise details of senior citizens in India
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| Total population (2011) | Total population aged≥60 years (2011) | % (proportion) of population ≥60 years (2011) | |
| India | 1,210,854,977 | 103,849,040 | 8.6 |
| State/Union Territory | |||
| Jammu & Kashmir | 12,541,302 | 922,656 | 7.4 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 6,864,602 | 703,009 | 10.2 |
| Punjab | 27,743,338 | 2,865,817 | 10.3 |
| Chandigarh | 1,055,450 | 67,078 | 6.4 |
| Uttarakhand | 10,086,292 | 900,809 | 8.9 |
| Haryana | 25,351,462 | 2,193,755 | 8.7 |
| NCT of Delhi | 16,787,941 | 1,147,445 | 6.8 |
| Rajasthan | 68,548,437 | 5,112,138 | 7.5 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 199,812,341 | 15,439,904 | 7.7 |
| Bihar | 104,099,452 | 7,707,145 | 7.4 |
| Sikkim | 610,577 | 40,752 | 6.7 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1,383,727 | 63,639 | 4.6 |
| Nagaland | 1,978,502 | 102,726 | 5.2 |
| Manipur | 2,855,794 | 200,020 | 7.0 |
| Mizoram | 1,097,206 | 68,628 | 6.3 |
| Tripura | 3,673,917 | 289,544 | 7.9 |
| Meghalaya | 2,966,889 | 138,902 | 4.7 |
| Assam | 31,205,576 | 2,078,544 | 6.7 |
| West Bengal | 91,276,115 | 7,742,382 | 8.5 |
| Jharkhand | 32,988,134 | 2,356,678 | 7.1 |
| Odisha | 41,974,218 | 3,984,448 | 9.5 |
| Chhattisgarh | 25,545,198 | 2,003,909 | 7.8 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 72,626,809 | 5,713,316 | 7.9 |
| Gujarat | 60,439,692 | 4,786,559 | 7.9 |
| Daman & Diu | 243,247 | 11,361 | 4.7 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 343,709 | 13,892 | 4.0 |
| Maharashtra | 112,374,333 | 11,106,935 | 9.9 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 49,386,799 | 5,008,662 | 10.1 |
| Telangana | 35,193,978 | 3,269,579 | 9.3 |
| Karnataka | 61,095,297 | 5,791,032 | 9.5 |
| Goa | 1,458,545 | 163,495 | 11.2 |
| Lakshadweep | 64,473 | 5,270 | 8.2 |
| Kerala | 33,406,061 | 4,193,393 | 12.6 |
| Tamil Nadu | 72,147,030 | 7,509,758 | 10.4 |
| Puducherry | 1,247,953 | 120,436 | 9.7 |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 380,581 | 25,424 | 6.7 |
Sources: C-13 Single Year Age Returns by Residence and Sex Census 2011,http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/C-series/C-13.html.
The medical care facilities available to senior citizens in India are not comparable with that of other countries. The medical facilities for senior citizens in developed countries have been initiated long ago as compared to India whereas the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) was launched only in 2010-11. Hence, dedicated health care facilities are available only in 90 district hospitals, which are operationalised among 418 districts that have been sanctioned for implementation of NPHCE.
The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched “National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) during 2010-11 to address various health related problems of elderly people. The programme is State oriented with the following main objective:-
- To provide an easy access to promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly through community based primary health care approach.
- To identify health problems in the elderly and provide appropriate health interventions in the community with a strong referral backup support.
iii. To build capacity of the medical and paramedical professionals as well as the care-takers within the family for providing health care to the elderly.
- To provide referral services to the elderly patients through district hospitals, regional medical institutions.
- Convergence with National Rural Health Mission, AYUSH and other line departments like Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
As on date, 418 districts, 20 Regional Geriatric Centres (RGCs) and two National Centres for Ageing (NCA) also have been sanctioned for implementation of NPHCE.
The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Smt Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today.
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