The Ministry of AYUSH and the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding in a bid to enhance geriatric healthcare and combat substance abuse.

The MoU was signed in the presence of Union Minister of State for AYUSH, Prataprao Jadhav; Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, B L Verma; Ayush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, among others.

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Speaking on the occasion, Jadhav said geriatric healthcare and substance abuse are critical areas that require special focus, especially as we face an ageing population and growing concerns around addiction.

He said this collaboration between the Ayush Ministry and DoSJE represents a significant step towards addressing these challenges.

Jadhav said 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.

In his address, Verma said under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has taken several steps to ensure the welfare of our senior citizens.

“The signing of the MoU with the Ayush Ministry 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,’ he said.

Highlighting the initiatives of the Ayush Ministry for geriatric healthcare, Kotecha said, “We have various programmes and initiatives to address the challenges being faced by the ageing population, such as the Geriatric Healthcare Camps under the National Ayush Mission. The Ayush Ministry remains committed to enhancing the health and well-being of senior citizens, and this MoU will boost our efforts to provide quality health care to the senior citizens.”

Key objectives of the MoU include developing cooperation, convergence, and synergy between the Ayush Ministry 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.

Among others, 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.