Lucknow in dire need of more geriatric centres, say doctors

LUCKNOW : Sad but true. Senior citizens in Lucknow have very few options when it comes to specialised health care. There’s only one geriatric medicine OPD in the government sector (at the KGMU), which is operational just once a week.

Lucknow, with a population of 30 lakh elderly, is in dire need of more of such facilities, said health experts.

Government hospitals do have separate counters where senior citizens can get OPD slips. But doctors’ chambers, pathology counters, and diagnostic (X-ray etc) facilities have common queues for all patients, they said.

“Waiting can at times be irritating, particularly for the elderly who suffer from chronic problems such as arthritis, heart ailment etc. Not just doctors, even the paramedical staff dealing with elderly should be trained on how to counsel senior citizens,” said Kauser Usman, HoD, geriatric medicine department, KGMU.

He runs a weekly clinic for the elderly patients, as the department sanctioned by the government is yet to take proper shape.

“I have about 40 patients in the clinic, and this is when the clinic is not formally running under the department,” he said.

Dr Abhishek Shukla, who runs a daily clinic for elderly patients at Aastha Geriatric Hospital and Hospice every day, gets over 50 patients.

“Life expectancy has gone up. By 2040, 25% of the population

will be elderly. Ironically, we are not upgrading health facilities for them to match their population growth,” he said.

Dr Raman Kumar, president of the Academy of Family Physicians of India, said senior citizens just need a little assistance while they do things on their own.

“It will be a great help if hospitals have social workers who can help elderly reach the right counter and reply to their queries regarding prescription and follow-up,” he said.

Dr PK Gupta, former president of Indian Medical Association, Lucknow said as per the population base, each district level hospital should now have a clinic for elderly patients.

“A separate counter at pathology and diagnostic facilities will come as a big relief,” said Rakesh Sharma, a Gomti Nagar resident who took an elderly patient to the hospital on Monday.