The central government of India has launched a programme to support health related issues of older people under the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE). The central government of India initiated the NPHCE scheme with 75% financing of total budget from the centre and 25% from the state government for district level activities (MOHFW, 2016b). The NPHCE provides free, specialised health care services exclusively for the aging population through state level providers (MOHFW, 2016b). The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has initiated programs like the Integrated Programme for Older Persons (IPOP) scheme, which funds long-term care services for the elderly.

The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare of the Government of India also has a National Program for Palliative Care. This scheme is centrally sponsored with most states carrying 40% of the cost, and the North-Eastern states and Union Territories carrying 10% of the cost (MOHFW, 2019b). The beneficiaries of this scheme are people with terminal cancer, AIDS etc. (MOHFW, 2019b).

According to a review by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), India spends only about 0.1% of its GDP on long-term care (Scheil-Adlung & Xenia, 2015).

References:

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (2016b). National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly.

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. (2019b). National Programme for Palliative care (NPPC): National Health Mission.

Scheil-Adlung, & Xenia. (2015). Long-term care protection for older persons : a review of coverage deficits in 46 countries. ILO Working Papers.