Lok Sabha Question No. 4703 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-28
Subject: Healthcare facility for Elderly People
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Shri Bharatsinhji Shankarji Dabhi, Shri Sunil Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4703 ANSWERED ON 28.03.2025 Healthcare facility for Elderly People

† 4703. Shri Sunil Kumar:

Shri Bharatsinhji Shankarji Dabhi:

Will the Minister of AYUSH be pleased to state:

(a)  the  specific  measures  being  taken  by  the  Government  under  the  Memorandum  of Understanding (MoU) meant for bringing improvement in the AYUSH based intervention for providing healthcare to elderly people;

(b) the  manner in which the Government is likely to ensure that the initiatives taken under Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) may reach rural and deprived elderly citizens who do not have easy access to health facilities;

(c) the details of the training programmes being extended to the health workers and the social activities  to  integrate  AYUSH  system  of  medicine  for  undertaking  elderly  care  and  deaddiction rehabilitation;

(d)  whether  the  Government proposes to adopt Public Private Partnership (PPP) model  for extending these initiatives; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE (IC) OF THE MINISTRY OF AYUSH (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

(a) to (e)  A MoU was signed between Ministry of Ayush (MoA) and Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) on 12.02.2025 with the following objectives -

- i. Develop  cooperation,  convergence  and  synergy  between  MoA  and  DoSJE  to  have innovative initiatives to promote health of senior citizens and also to attempt reducing demand  for  drugs  and  substance  abuse,  their  treatment  and  mental  rehabilitation

through, awareness generation, capacity building of service providers through Ayush systems.

- ii. Promote research in the area of Geriatric health, substance abuse and mental health
- iii. Any other activities for the purpose of health promotion of geriatric as well as drug addict population.

As  per  the  MoU,  the  roles  and  responsibilities  of  Ministry  of  Ayush  for  geriatric healthcare  are  to  develop  training  module  and  treatment  protocol  of  Ayush  systems  in  the field of geriatric caregivers,  develop  video  module  on  yoga  training  program,  share knowledge  and  practices  in  preventive  and  curative  care,  provide  Ayush  related  technical support  and  provide  geriatric  healthcare  through  autonomous  bodies  under  Ministry  of Ayush.

Under the MoU, DOSJE is responsible for facilitating the Ayush Autonomous bodies in  establishing  the  Geriatric  Health  Centers,  support  the  research  in  the  area  of  geriatric health, promote the integration of any of Ayush services in old age homes, to incorporate the Ayush systems in preventive and curative aspects of senior citizens, create awareness about the  Ayush  systems  amongst  the  senior  citizens,  to  support  and  develop  IEC  material  on geriatric care, to support in organizing the training programs, workshops and seminars aimed at  capacity  building  of  geriatric  caregivers.  Copy  of  the  MoU  has  been  shared  with  the Regional Resource Training Centres (RRTCs) under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment to expand the reach of the MoU for the welfare of the senior citizens of the country.

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