Geriatric Wards With 20 Beds Each To Come Up In Govt Hospitals, Says DME
The DME announced that Dr Prem Sagar, head of the department at Osmania Medical College, has been appointed state nodal officer for geriatric services. He will be supported by five regional nodal officers in the cadre of associate and assistant professors, who will monitor implementation across clusters of six to seven districts each.
Hyderabad: Director of medical education (DME) Dr A. Narendra Kumar on Friday said that a state-level nodal officer and five regional nodal officers have been appointed to oversee geriatric services across 34 Government General Hospitals in Telangana for citizens aged over 60 years.
Except for Gandhi Hospital, which launched a pilot project for geriatric care last year, all other hospitals that were treating elderly patients under general medicine will now open exclusive geriatric wards. Each unit will have 20 beds and dedicated experts who will inspect facilities and submit feedback to begin services across the state, said Dr A. Narendra Kumar, director of medical education (DME).
The DME announced that Dr Prem Sagar, head of the department at Osmania Medical College, has been appointed state nodal officer for geriatric services. He will be supported by five regional nodal officers in the cadre of associate and assistant professors, who will monitor implementation across clusters of six to seven districts each.
A technical team will inspect all facilities to assess infrastructure, manpower availability and readiness. To estimate patient volumes, the department is analysing geriatric footfall data from three sources — health department’s district-wise elderly population records, Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) and the ministry of senior citizens.
Initially, the elderly patients will be identified at Ayushman Aarogya Mandirs, from where those requiring specialised care will be referred to the new geriatric clinics.
The upcoming centres will provide a comprehensive range of services, including OP and IP care, nutrition support, rehabilitation, ENT and ophthalmology consultations, and psychological counselling. The DME emphasised the role of counselling, noting that a large number of elderly people suffer from loneliness as their children live abroad.
On manpower, he said physicians, surgeons, ENT, ophthalmology and dental specialists are already available within the system, but non-medical support staff need to be strengthened.
The state requires nutritionists, physiotherapists and psychologists for holistic geriatric care. To address the shortage of mental-health professionals, the department is finalising an manorandum of understanding with the Benguluru-based National Institute for Medical Health and Neuro Sciences to offer six-month and one-year certificate courses to train doctors and medical officers in psychological services.
In Hyderabad, Gandhi Hospital is already functioning with two wards exclusively for elderly patients, with OP services operating on Mondays and Thursdays. The hospital has 40 beds — 20 male and 20 female.
“Specialised treatment is provided based on individual health conditions. Diagnostic services and follow-up are routinely ensured, after which patients are referred back to their respective geriatric centres. Terminal life care is also provided,” said Dr L. Sunil Kumar, head of the department of general medicine, Gandhi Hospital.
In its first year of operation, Gandhi Hospital’s geriatric units recorded 900 in-patient admissions and 1,600 out-patient visits, indicating a strong demand for elderly-specific medical care.