INDIA: Chennai Doctors Sign Up To Make House Calls

CHENNAI (Ground Report), February 18, 2008: At the initiatives taken by some forty doctors in Chennai, they have found out a solution to attend to the senior citizens. Gone are the days of family doctors concept. Realising the difficulties of the senior citizens to approach a doctor that too only at the gravest of circumstances, some 40 doctors have evolved a plan to cater to the need of senior citizens. According to the plan, the doctors will be able to see the senior citizes at their home and if necessary even offer medical advice over phone. Under the plan launched on February 17, the visiting doctor will charge senior citizens a fee of Rs 300 per visit. This venture is part of the elder welfare project and it has doctors from 20 areas of the city. Senior citizens are provided with the doctors' addresses and mobile phone numbers. Apart from general physicians, physiotherapists and psychologists are also involved and they will attend house calls if necessary. Though this scheme launched by a group of doctors is beneficial to senior citizens, it covers only a small group, those who can afford to pay Rs 300 for each consultation and those who have mobile phone numbers of the concerned doctors. Though the scheme is a welcome one it is beneficial to only the rich senior citizens. Of course the government as a welfare state should do something to the maladies of poor senior citizens also who are uncared for. By Rabasure See original report