Lok Sabha Question No. 3525 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-21
Subject: Improvement in Geriatric Healthcare through AYUSH
Ministry: AYUSH
Asked by: Smt. Bijuli Kalita Medhi

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3525

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AYUSH LOK SABHA ANSWERED ON 21.03.2025

## Improvement in Geriatric Healthcare through AYUSH

3525. Smt. Bijuli Kalita Medhi:

Will the Minister of AYUSH

be pleased to state:

(a) the specific measures being taken by the Government under the MoU to improve geriatric healthcare using Ayush-based interventions;

(b) the manner in which the Government is likely to ensure that the said initiatives under this

MoU  reach  rural  and  underprivileged  senior  citizens  who  may  not  have  easy  access  to healthcare facilities;

- (c) the details of the training programmes provided for healthcare workers and social workers to integrate AYUSH practices into elderly care and addiction rehabilitation;

(d) whether any public-private partnership models are being considered to expand the reach of 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.

*****