NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR HEALTH CARE OF THE ELDERLY
Introduction
The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) is a modest attempt by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare to address this issue by way of introducing a comprehensive health care set up completely dedicated and tuned to the needs of the elderly.
Countries with large populations such as India have a large number of people now aged 60 years or more. According to the 2011 census, there were 86.03 million Indians above the age of sixty years; of them 42.39 million were males and 43.64 million were females. 2011 Census of Sikkim, the figure shows the population of above 60 years as 36,342 out of which 20,087 are males and 16,255 are females.
The programme was initiated in the year 2011 in Sikkim with the aim to improve the health status of the elderly people and to provide an easy access to promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly through community based primary health care approach. In the initial Phase, only two districts, namely East and South Districts were involved.
Objectives
To provide an easy access to promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly through community based primary healthcare approach
To identify health problems in the elderly and provide appropriate health interventions in the community with a strong referral backup support.
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.
NPHCE IN CONVERGENCE WITH CHIEF MINISTERS COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL & TOTAL CHECK-UP FOR HEALTHY SIKKIM (CATCH).
The National Programme for Health Care of Elderly has been implemented in the state in convergence with CATCH( Chief Ministers Comprehensive Annual and Total Check-up for Healthy Sikkim) the flagship programme of government of Sikkim .
Comprehensive health care is being provided through convergence with CATCH and other programmes (NPCB, NPCDCS etc.) to make a health movement for healthy Sikkim.
Activities under NPHCE at various levels
Sub-Centers
The ANM /Male health workers posted in the sub-centres are trained to make domiciliary visits to the elderly persons in areas under their jurisdiction. The ASHAs at village level mobilizes the elderly to attend camps and home based care for bedridden elderly.
Primary Health Centers
The PHC Medical officer is in charge of coordination, implementation and promoting health care of the elderly .Following activities are undertaken at the PHCs
A weekly geriatric clinic is arranged at PHC level by trained medical officer Conducts health assessment of the elderly persons relating to vision, joints, hearing, chest, BP etc.
Public awareness is given during health and village sanitation day/camps. Free medicines are provided to the elderly for their medical ailments and those requiring referrals to the higher centers are referred to community health centres district hospitals or STNM as per the need.
Community Health Centers
There are two Community Health Centres in Sikkim Jorethang (South Sikkim) &Rhenock (East Sikkim).
First referral Unit: CHCs is the first medical referral unit for patients from PHCs and below. Man power (Assistant Physiotherapist) has been placed in CHCs of both the Districts.
District hospitals
Ten bedded Geriatric wards have been set up in two Districts Hospital namely District Hospital Singtam, East District and District Hospital Namchi, South District. The physiotherapy unit in the districts are also provided with equipment.
Geriatric Ward Namchi
Geriatric clinic provides regular dedicated OPD services to the elderly and provisions for medicines and supportive appliances (Walking Stick, Callipers etc.) are also provided to the needy elders. Existing specialities like General medicine, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT etc provides services needed by the elderly.
Achievements during FY 2015-16:
| Indicators | Person Checked (2015-16) |
|---|---|
| Elderly persons attended OPD | 19954 |
| Cases Admitted in wards | 532 |
| Persons given rehabilitation services | 8143 |
| Lab tests performed on elderly | 2467 |
| Elderly Persons provided home based care | 928 |
| Elderly provided supportive appliances | 82 |
| Cases referred | 308 |
Financial Achievement under NPHCE
| Programme | Opening Balance as on 01.04.2014 | Fund Received from GOI during the Year | Interest Accrued | Total | Expenditure reported during the year | Unspent Balance as on 31.03.2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPHCE | 46.74 | 20.00 | 1.11 | 67.85 | 51.05 | 16.80 |