AFFORDABLE HEALTH CLINICS FOR THE ELDERLY AT 110 CENTRES

DHANBAD: Elderly patients would no longer have to stand in queues at government hospitals for treatment as they will be getting special treatment at separate clinics in the state.

The health department has set up special health clinics at 110 community health centres (CHCs) across the state to provide special health services to elderly persons under the National Programme for Healthcare of the Elderly (NPHCE).

Special clinics for the elderly were operational at only 60 CHCs in the state earlier. Under the NPHCE, an ageing patient has to be provided affordable, highquality, long-term comprehensive and separate health services.

New managing director (MD) of the National Health Mission (NHM) of Jharkhand Dr Amitabh Kaushal, who reviewed two ongoing health plans in the state – the National Programme for Control of Diabetes, Cardiovaxular, Stroke (NPCDCS) and the NPHCE -expressed concern over unused programme’s funds in the state.

He directed all the 24 districts to focus on creating awareness about the programme so that maximum patients could get the benefits.

“The MD has directed civil surgeons of all 24 districts to stress on Information Education and Communication (IEC) programme so that the health plan could reach the needy,” said Dr Lalit Ranjan Pathak, state nodal officer of the programme.

Since there are enough funds for the programme, the districts have been directed to send inventory of medicines and diagnostic machines needed for health services of elderly patients to the special clinics.