Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government will soon implement a comprehensive geriatric care programme to address the health issues of elderly population in the state, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Wednesday (May 31). He directed the officials concerned to compile a draft for the same after consulting with various departments, a CMO statement said here.
CM Vijayan was speaking while chairing a high-level meeting of the Aardram Mission, which envisages to completely transform the public health sector of the southern state.
The state’s old age policy would be revised in accordance with the time, the Chief Minister said during the meeting, it said.
A comprehensive rehabilitation policy would also be formulated to rehabilitate those who are confined to their homes due to physical ailments following accidents or diseases, he said.
The Chief Minister further directed the officials to complete the construction of isolation wards in the state at the earliest and set up de-addiction centres in all districts.
Kerala would become a complete palliative care state soon, CM Vijayan said, adding that steps are also being taken to eradicate various diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, Kala-azar (parasitic disease) and so on.
Besides CM Vijayan, Health Minister Veena George, Chief Secretary V P Joy and various senior officials of the health department also took part in the meeting, the statement added.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diarrhoea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
