E-Paper
Union minister approves upgradation of IMS-BHU Regional Centre into National Geriatric Centre
IMS BHU has been designated as a regional geriatric centre under the NPHCE Ministry of Health and Family Welfare since 2014.
VARANASI Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya, has given his nod to transform the Regional Centre for Geriatric Medicine at IMS-BHU into a 200-bed National Geriatric Centre, according to Professor Anup Singh, the nodal officer of the Regional Geriatric Centre National Program for Healthcare of the Elderly (NPHCE) in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at IMS BHU. Construction work on this significant project is set to commence in the near future.
Coinciding with the International Day of Older Persons, celebrated annually on October 1st, this global event recognises the invaluable contributions of senior citizens while highlighting the unique challenges they encounter. This year’s theme emphasises acknowledging the rights of the elderly, mirroring those of their younger counterparts, including independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment, and dignity. To raise awareness about these issues, Professor Singh organised a walkathon and awareness rally, in which Professor Ashok Chaudhary, Dean of Research, students, and staff, actively participated.
Following the rally, a health camp was organised at an old age home in Durgakund by Professor Singh, along with students and staff from the Department of Geriatric Medicine. The increasing geriatric population, thanks to improved healthcare services leading to longer lifespans, presents substantial future challenges. The Indian government, recognising this, has launched various programs dedicated to the elderly, with 19 ministries working in their support.
IMS BHU has been designated as a regional geriatric centre under the NPHCE Ministry of Health and Family Welfare since 2014. The Department of Geriatric Medicine was established in 2018 and, in just 5-6 years, it has demonstrated exponential growth in academic teaching, research, and patient care. The department offers two postgraduate courses, and its research has outperformed even the AIIMS geriatric department in recent years.
