India Promotes Healthy Ageing: Minister Patel

Colombo, Oct 16 (PTI) India is firmly committed to promoting healthy ageing through strengthened primary health care, based on a comprehensive and people-centric system for the elderly, Anupriya Singh Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, has said.

She was representing India at the Ministerial Roundtable of the 78th Session of the WHO Regional Committee of South-East Asia held in Colombo from October 13 to 15, the Indian High Commission said on Thursday.

The minister highlighted that with 153 million citizens aged 60 years and above, India was witnessing a major demographic transition. To ensure that elderly receive equitable, accessible and affordable health care services, the Government of India has taken several important measures, she said.

At the roundtable, India called for enhanced regional cooperation among WHO South-East Asia member states to strengthen the integration of Primary Health Care and Long-Term Care (PHC–LTC).

India proposed three key areas of collaboration — from establishing a regional platform for knowledge sharing and innovation on PHC–LTC integration, investing in capacity building and training programmes for the geriatric and caregiving workforce across countries to promoting technological innovations and health solutions that support independent and dignified living for older adults.

Further strengthening financial protection of the elderly population, the Ayushman Bharat's Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB–PMJAY) has been expanded to cover all citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income, she said.

This will benefit nearly 60 million elderly persons across 45 million families, providing cashless hospital care of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year in both public and empanelled private hospitals, the minister said.

The union minister also highlighted the establishment of the two National Centres of Ageing (NCAs) — one at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, and another at Madras Medical College, Chennai and 17 Regional Geriatric Centres established across the country, serving as hubs for clinical excellence, capacity building, research, and policy guidance.