BENGALURU: The state government in collaboration with NIMHANS conducted camps for senior citizens from 10 am to 2 pm at NIMHANS Convention Centre on Monday. Around 1,000 elderly persons attended. Stalls were set up by various departments to look into the grievances of the elderly like UIDAI, BBMP, Revenue, Health, Postal, LIC, Labour and Senior Citizens department except transport including legal aid clinics set up by Karnataka Legal Sevices Authority (KLSA).
The maximum complaints were to BBMP with regard to Khatta related problems and to the revenue department’s tahsildar’s office for pension related problems. The objective of the camp was to spread awareness about welfare legislations and schemes for senior citizens. Various service providers and NGOs working in the field were involved like Nightingales, Cfor, Lion’s Club, Rotary and Red Cross. Senior citizens from various old age homes were invited.
“A survey of 300 elderly was conducted by the KLSA to know about their grievances. The concerned department/institution/service provider was informed on Monday and requested to address their problems in a time bound manner. This camp was organised as a part of an action plan prepared by KLSA to make the state senior-citizen friendly. First such camp was held in Kolar. This is the second one,” said Uma MG, member secretary, KLSA. The Department of Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens set up an information centre at NIMHANS a few months ago to provide information on various schemes and services for senior citizens.
Health department
Bengaluru Urban district surgeon Ansar Ahmed told Express medical teams from various government hospitals deputed specialist doctors, paramedical staff, lab technicians and equipments like ECG machines, ECHO cardiogram machines, glucometers with strips and medicines. Hospitals educated them on senior citizen schemes provided at their facilities. The elderly were thankful for getting checkups for various ailments under one roof. Isolation hospital and Karnataka Centre for Diabetes were a part of the camp including Minto, Bowring, Kidwai, NIMHANS, Victoria and Jayadeva.
“More than 125 echocardiograms, 150 ECGs, 100 eye tests were done where they detected 10 glaucoma and 20 cataract patients. 304 blood tests, 110 orthopaedic cases were attended to. 10 skin cases, 310 general cases were seen. 50 ultrasound scans were done and 30 people pledged their organs,” Ahmed told Express.The elderly also brought property and family disputes to the notice of 10 advocates present at the legal aid clinic. A dozen paralegal volunteers assisted them in discussing problems they faced in getting birth and death certificates and khatta documents.