Doctor at doorstep for the elderly in Gandhinagar

GANDHINAGAR: For aged and ailing senior citizens, the Gujarat government has announced a pilot project wherein a team of doctor, nurse and attendant will pay a home visit every fortnight and on emergency medical call for a fee of Rs 200. The seniors, above 70 years of age, will have to be registered with Gandhinagar Civil Hospital for a fee of Rs 1,000. State health minister and DyCM Nitin Patel said the scheme will be implemented across Gujarat.
For aged and ailing senior citizens, many of them living alone, the Gujarat government has announced a pilot project in which a team comprising a doctor, a nurse and an attendant will pay a home visit every fortnight and on emergency medical call for a token fee of Rs 200.
The seniors, above 70 years of age, will have to be registered with Gandhinagar Civil Hospital for a fee of Rs 1,000.
“The pilot project aims to cater to the emergency medical needs of senior citizens. The project will be emulated across the state once it is successfully implemented in Gandhinagar,” said deputy chief minister and health minister Nitin Patel on Wednesday. “The number of senior citizens living alone has been steadily rising in the state due to children either settling abroad or moving out for employment purpose,” said Patel.
He added, “To cater to the medical needs of such aged and ailing seniors, Gujarat health department has launched a pilot project in which a team of a doctor, nurse and attendant will go to their residences and conduct detailed medical check-up.”
The medical team paying home visit will be equipped with blood pressure monitoring machine, inhaler, Electro Cardiogram (ECG) machine for heart patients, as well as medicines generally prescribed for geriatric illnesses.