Ayush ministry, social justice dept sign MoU for senior citizens' welfare

The Ministry of Ayush and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment signed MoU on Wednesday to improve the well-being of senior citizens and address the growing concern of substance abuse.

This strategic partnership seeks to implement Ayush-based interventions to promote geriatric healthcare and combat substance abuse, Union Ayush Minister Prataprao Jadhav said.

He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is a pioneering step to develop cooperative initiatives for health promotion among senior citizens and those affected by substance abuse.

"Geriatric healthcare and substance abuse are critical areas that require special focus, especially as we face an ageing population and growing concerns around addiction," Jadhav said.

 

This collaboration between the Ministry of Ayush and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment (DoSJE) represents a significant step towards addressing these challenges.

"By leveraging the holistic approach of Ayush systems alongside social welfare initiatives, we aim to empower our senior citizens and those affected by substance abuse," the Minister stated.

While addressing the gathering, the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma, said, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government has taken several steps to ensure the welfare of our senior citizens. The signing of the MoU with the Ministry of Ayush will benefit our senior citizens in a big way.

"The development of elderly-specific training modules, treatment protocols, yoga training programs, sharing of preventive and curative practices, etc, under the MoU will go a long way in enabling our senior citizens to lead a healthy life. By joining hands with the Ministry of Ayush, I am sure that together we can provide comprehensive services to the community," Verma said.

By leveraging the strengths of Ayush systems, both ministries committed to working together on various initiatives, including awareness programmes, capacity-building for service providers and the establishment of geriatric health and de-addiction units under Ayush autonomous bodies.

Key objectives of the MoU include developing cooperation, convergence and synergy between the Ministry of Ayush and DoSJE to foster innovative initiatives for promoting the health of senior citizens, reducing the demand for drugs, addressing substance abuse and aiding mental rehabilitation.

This will be achieved through the generation of awareness and capacity-building of service providers using Ayush systems.

It also includes encouraging research in the areas of geriatric health, substance abuse and mental health, with a focus on exploring the therapeutic benefits of traditional healthcare practices and supporting additional activities for health promotion tailored to both the geriatric population and individuals affected by substance abuse.