National Programme for the Health Care for the Elderly

National Programme for the Health Care for the Elderly (NPHCE) was initiated in June, 2010 with the main objective of providing preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly persons at various level of health care delivery system of the country.

NPHCE is an articulation of the International and national commitments of the Government as envisaged under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) adopted by the Government of India in 1999 & Section 20 of “The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007” dealing with provisions for medical care of Senior Citizen.

The programme is expected to be expanded to the entire country during the 12th Plan.

Some important components: Department of Geriatric at 8 Super Specialized Institutions, Geriatric Unit at 100 District Hospitals, Rehabilitation Units at CHCs Falling Under 100 Identified Districts, Weekly geriatric clinics will be arranged at the identified PHCs by a trained Medical Officer.

The NCD Cells constituted at the Centre, State and district level under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, CVD and Stroke (NPCDCS) will implement and monitor NPHCE also.