PGI Chandigarh to set up geriatric hospital, rehabilitation centre

Chandigarh: The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (PGI Chandigarh) is now planning to set up a 325 bedded geriatric hospital and rehabilitation centre on its campus.

The Rehabilitation centre will provide comprehensive care to elderly patients in the region. A proposal for it will soon be submitted to the Union Health Ministry, as a detailed project report has been readied by the PGI administration.

“The Union Health Ministry has recognised the need and thus there is a plan to provide such a facility. The Institute would propose to create a separate 325-bedded hospital with dedicated staff to look after these patients which will definitely improve the health status of an elderly,” a senior PGI official informed Indian Express.

The centre will provide both acute medical care in the hospital and also have provisions made for long-term chronic medical care and rehabilitation through outpatient facilities and home visits by social workers.

“The percentage of the elderly population is increasing worldwide. The elderly population in India has increased in the recent decades from 7.4% (77 million) in 2001 to estimated proportion of 10.7% by 2021 ( 144 million ).. the older persons’ segment above the age of 80 years is the fastest growing segment. This specific group of population is dependent upon younger population for most of their needs and are socially neglected in most of the cases,” reads the PGI project report on the issue.

The 2011 statistics reveal the elderly numbering nearly 104 million. A report on the “elderly in India-profile and program 2016” released by the Ministry of Statistics and program implementation says, “In the last one decade, however, that is between 2001 and 2011, the growth in elderly population has shot up to 36 percent while the same was 25 percent in the earlier decade.”

PGI, currently, manages its elderly footfall through its various departments. However, there are currently no specialized beds at the Institute.