Lok Sabha Question No. 85 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-02
Subject: National Sample Survey
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Chinta Anuradha

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRYOF HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE DEPARTMENTOFHEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE

## LOK SABHA UN-STARRED QUESTION NO. 85 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND FEBRUARY, 2024

## NATIONALSAMPLE SURVEY

## 85: SHRIMATI CHINTA ANURADHA

Will the Minister of HEALTHANDFAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state :

- (a) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to enhance geriatric care and related services for senior citizens in the country ;
- (b) Whether the Government is aware that as per a recent report, there is a lack of credible data on various issues related to the elderly in the country:
- (c) If so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to rectify this issue;
- (d) Whether the Government has any plan to include questions relevant for elderly people's health in data collection exercises such as the National Sample Survey, the National Family Health Survey, and the Census of India; and
- (e) If so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (PROF. S. P. SINGH BAGHEL)

(a) to (e) The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare had launched the 'National Programme for the Health Care of the Elderly' (NPHCE) during 2010-11, to address various health related problems of elderly people. The basic thrust of the programme is to provide dedicated health care facilities to the older people (>60 year of age) at various levels of primary, secondary and tertiary health care.

Arecent report on the elderly in India is "India Ageing Report 2023." The India Ageing Report 2023 represents a thorough review of the living conditions and welfare of older individuals in India. It leverages the latest data available from the Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India (LASI), 2017 -18, Census of India, Population Projections by the Government of India (2011 -2036) and World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

The Longitudinal Ageing Study 2017-18 in India (LASI) is a national landmark scientific research focusing on the health, economic, and social well-being of India's elderly population. LASI Wave 1 was carried out from April, 2017 December, 2018. LASI Wave 1 report was released by the Hon'ble Union Health Minister on 06.01.2021.

In National Sample Survey 60 th Round (January - June 2004), the survey on ' Morbidity and Health care ' was undertaken by the NSSO. This subject was taken up along with the subjects of household consumer expenditure and employment-unemployment. The enquiry covered the curative aspects of the general health care system in India, utilization of health care services provided by the public and private sector and the expenditure incurred by the households for availing these services. In addition, information on the condition and problems of the aged persons was also collected. In Chapter Five , the survey results on Conditions and Health Care of the Aged have been discussed. The survey was to assess the structure and composition of the aged in respect of age, sex, dependency ratio, etc. and the conditions of the aged in respect of their economic dependency, number of dependents, living arrangements, persons supporting the aged, physical immobility, etc. In the survey, those who were of age 60 years and above were considered aged. Information on number of surviving children, living arrangement, economic independence, number of dependents, persons supporting the aged, etc., was collected for the aged.

The National Family Health Survey includes the prevalence of Non Communicable Diseases in people above 15 years of age which includes the elderly population also. The Census of India takes care of the Elderly health by covering the Life expectancy in people above 60 years, Physically Disabled elderly above 60 years and Death rates in 60-64 years (per thousand).

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