Odisha’s first geriatrics centre comes up at Gangadhar Meher University

SAMBALPUR: The first ever centre of excellence in study of geriatrics in the state has come up at Gangadhar Meher University (GMU) here. The Odisha Centre for Geriatrics and Gerontology (OCGG) was inaugurated on Saturday. Deputy registrar of GMU, Uma Charan Pati said research on the elderly population of the state will be conducted the centre. 

“Study on various aspects of the ageing population like social, political, security, familial, prevalence of communicable and non-communicable disease, anxiety, stress, sleep issues and happiness will be conducted at the centre by researchers, who will collect data from across the State including government hospitals for the purpose,” he said. 

The findings of the study will be shared with the government and can help in formulating policies for the elderly persons. As many as 12 departments of the university will undertake inter-disciplinary research on various issues relating to the elderly. The centre has been set up at a cost of `1.3 crore with funds sanctioned under World Bank’s Odisha Higher Education Programme for Excellence and Equity scheme. 

Pati said the average life expectancy in India in 1951 was 32 years. Now, it has gone up to 68 years. Similarly, as per the 2011 census, six per cent of country’s population comprised the elderly. However, it is likely to go up to 10 per cent by 2021 and increase substantially by 2030. The university will also launch a diploma course in gerontology soon.