Lok Sabha Question No. 373 (STARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Ageing Population
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, Midhun Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 373 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH DECEMBER , 2019 AGEING POPULATION

## *373. SHRI MAGUNTA SREENIVASULU REDDY:

## SHRI P.V. MIDHUN REDDY:

Will  the  Minister  of  HEALTH  AND  FAMILY  WELFARE  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  with  declining  fertility,  reduction  in  mor increasing survival at older ages, the shift in age structure from young ld is likely to give rise to major public health care burden;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is prepared to meet the requirements of this shif little emphasis on improving elderly care structure, health care structure et
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER THE MINI STER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. HARSH VARDHAN)

- (a) to ( e):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 373* FOR 13 TH DECEMBER , 2019

(a)  to  (e). Yes. As  per  the  data  of  Registrar  General  of  India  (RGI),  there evidence  of  declining  fertility,  reduction  in  mortality  and  increasing  su older ages. This has resulted in increase in the share of the population o (more than 60 year of age) from 5.6 % (2.47 crore) in 1961 to 8.6% (10.38 crore) in 2011.

Surveys of National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) indicate that burden o morbidity  is  high  in  old  age  and  disabilities  are  frequent,  affecti functionality.

In  recognition  of  special  h ealth  care  needs  of  elderly  and  to  provide dedicated health care facilities to the elderly population, the Ministry of Family  Welfare  is  implementing  National  Programme  for  Health  Care  of  th Elderly (NPHCE) at various levels of primary, seconda ry and tertiary health care under which following facilities have been approved: -

|   S. N | Institutions                                    | Sanctioned   |
|--------|-------------------------------------------------|--------------|
|      1 | National Centres of Ageing (NCAs)               | 2            |
|      2 | Regional Geriatric Centres (RGCs)               | 19           |
|      3 | Dedicated services at District level.           | Hospital 713 |
|      4 | Dedicated services at Community Health Centers. | 3430         |

Other National Programmes such as programmes for control of Blindness Deafness,  Non - Communicable  Diseases  (NCDs),  Mental  health  and  Oral  health also provide health care services to elderly. Health being a State subject, and technical support und er the National Programmes is provided to States / UTs through  the  National  Health  Mission  and  tertiary  care  components,  based proposal received from them. However, responsibility for implementation lies States/UTs, except in the case of NCA at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, which is a Central Government Institution.

Further, elderly health care services are also covered in the expanded of services under Ayushman Bharat -Health and Wellness Centres.   Under the Ayushman Bharat -Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, which provides for health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year to about 10.74 crore poor and vuln families as per Socio - Economic Caste Census data, there is no restriction on age family size and all m embers of the entitled family, including elderly, are covere

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