Haryana Government to Train Doctors for Better Elderly Care

The Haryana government has taken a major step to improve healthcare for elderly people by starting a special training program for doctors. The state will now train medical officers working at local health centers to provide better care specifically designed for senior citizens.

The Health Department has given approval to a proposal from Pt BD Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak. Under this program, doctors working at Civil Hospitals, Community Health Centers, and Primary Health Centers across Haryana will receive specialized training in elderly healthcare.

The main goal of this initiative is to help doctors identify health problems in older people early, check their overall health condition, and create personalized treatment plans. This means senior citizens can get proper medical care right at their local health centers without having to travel far distances.

In an official statement, the Director General of Health Services praised PGIMS Rohtak for taking this important step. The department said there is an urgent need for specialized care for elderly people and that PGIMS Rohtak has the right experience and facilities to train medical officers properly. 

Prof HK Aggarwal, Vice Chancellor of University of Health Sciences Rohtak, explained how this program will help aging people in the state. "This program will make sure that elderly people get timely healthcare at their nearest center. They will also get regular check-ups covering their physical, mental, social, and functional health," he said.

Dr Kundan Mittal, Medical Superintendent at PGIMS, pointed out that trained doctors can significantly improve the chances of elderly people living healthier and longer lives. He explained that since there aren't enough specialized doctors available, it's important to train primary healthcare providers like medical officers and nurses at the local level.

"This initiative will make preventive healthcare stronger at the primary level. Senior citizens won't need to travel long distances to big hospitals like PGIMS Rohtak for routine check-ups or small health problems. Most of their healthcare needs will be handled locally through regular health check-ups," Dr Mittal explained.

The training program is expected to start soon with coordination between PGIMS and the Health Department. According to Dr Mittal, this is a major step toward making geriatric services better in both rural and urban areas of Haryana. The program will ensure that elderly people in remote villages get the same quality of specialized care that was previously only available in big city hospitals.