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AUICK Second 2006 Workshop
City Report and Action Plan - Chennai
Ms. Shatha Kumari Paranthaman
District Family Welfare Medical Officer,
District Family Welfare Bureau,
Corporation of Chennai,
India
CONTENTS
1. City
Report
2. Action Plan
2.1.
Oultine
2.2. City Level
2.3. State Level
2.4. Action Plan by Months
1.
City Report
Chennai is a city of some 4.9 million,
which has grown rapidly from 1.4 million in 1950. Like all of India,
the rapid mortality decline after 1950 ushered in a period of high
population growth from natural increase. Migration also swelled the
city, which was experiencing rapid economic development. As usual, this
produced a young population with very few aged people. The Under 15 in
1960 were 36 percent of the population and the 65 and over were a mere
2 percent. Fertility has fallen particularly in the past two decades
and the Total Fertility Rate in 2005, 1.72, is below replacement level.
Life expectancy has risen to 77 for males and 78 for females, and there
are now 7.7 percent of the population 65 years and over. This is
projected to rise to 16 percent by 2020. Chennai’s aging
pressures are beginning to assert themselves.
With strong traditional family values, and an explicit statement in
Public Law 125 that “all with means are…obligated
to support parents in their old age,” the care of the aged in
Chennai has not been a major problem in the past. The rising numbers
will place increasing pressures on families, however, and the
government
will play a greater role in assisting in care of the aged. A specialty
in geriatric medicine began in government hospitals as early as 1978.
At present the government does not maintain homes for the aged, as
those
run by Non Governmental Organizations appear adequate. Old age pensions
and support for the aged poor provide support to about half of the aged
population.
To TOP
2.
Action Plan
2.1.
Outline
The problem of ageing is not very
serious for Chennai, so very few specific plans/programmes have been
developed.
Enumeration of more details about senior citizens by the family welfare
bureau/census department will have to be undertaken, so that city
planners can develop more Elderly Care Homes, Elderly Nursery Care
Homes.
The enumeration
details will be;
- Number of solitary elderly people
- Elderly couple households
- Elderly who require Nursing Care
- Number of applicants for Homes of the aged
- Number of people with dementia /
Alzheimer’s
disease / Parkinson’s disease (who require physiotherapy
rehabilitation
therapy)
Major
services that can be implemented
are;
Health
education on
prevention of lifestyle related diseases
like obesity, smoking, diabetes and
hypertension for
young
and middle aged people.
Comprehensive
health care services for the aged and
follow up of people after medical checkup (Blood
pressure, Blood test
for diabetes, Oral exam and Urine exam), cancer
screening programs for women and men.
To be conducted in the form
of camp once a year on special days like
elders’ day, Independence Day,
Woman’s day.
To develop Geriatric
clinic days in every ward/ zone
once a week.
Day
Care Centers for senior citizens with provision of
one meal can be developed replacing the maternity
wards which are
not functioning in the maternity homes.
Establishment of
more Senior
citizen clubs.
2.2.
City Level
- Enumeration of more details of the
elderly group along with other population particulars of the family.
Enumeration work takes place every year starting from the month of
February. There are family registers where all the names of family
members are written.
- Formulation of action plan based on the information
obtained from the enumeration and discussion at different levels about
starting (a) Geriatric Clinic days in the health post/ center which is
familiar to the family members once a week, (b) outreach health
services for the aged at their doorsteps, (c) Day Care centers for the
elderly people in maternity homes where the maternity wards are no
longer needed, (d) to start a geriatric ward with 20 beds if possible,
replacing one of the maternal wards. Except (d), all the above work can
be done without much financial commitment to the local and state
government.
- Establishment of senior citizens' clubs with the help
of NGOs, like the presidents of Lions Clubs, Rotary Club, Sathyam
Foundation)
Levels
of discussion will be with;
a) Honorable Mayor,
Commissioner of Corporation of
Chennai and Joint Commissioner (Health),
Corporation of Chennai.
b) Chairman, Health
Committee, and Counselors
(Political People).
c)
District family
welfare Medical officers.
2.3.
State Level
4.
Proposal to provide geriatric wards in all the
hospitals (1% of beds)
Responsible
persons are: Director of Public Health, Health Secretary to Government,
and Health Minister.
2.4.
Action Plan by Months
Action
Plan Flow Chart
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