Call improve the lot of ignored old people

THE Good Samaritan Social Service Trust-Tanzania (GSSST) and other campaigners for promoting the welfare of elderly people have called on the government to fulfill its promises by improving the quality of healthcare services for them.

The GSSST Executive Director, Mr Elisha Mwamkinga, told reporters over the weekend that the access to free medical services hadn’t become a reality yet, as elders were being asked to pay for, among others like Laboratory tests, X-rays, ultra sound and CT scan services. He pointed out that, in some areas, medicines were in short supplies.

However, he appreciated the government’s efforts to improve health services, not only for elders but for women and children, as well as other Tanzanians. He asked the government to sustain their tempo of ensuring that elders got free health services.

A 76-year-old woman, Kijazi Seleman, a Dar es Salaam resident, said the government needed to do more to help elders, especially in medical service delivery.

Earlier, Mr Mwamkinga pointed out that violent acts against elderly people in various parts of the country were continuing unabated. He also pointed out that, by and large, the respect by younger people for elders, which had been the norm in the past, had been progressively declining.

The stakeholders voiced the sentiments a day after commemoration of World Health Day through the platform of Age Demands Action (ADA) organised by Help Age International. The platform focuses on critical issues related to elderly people and how to improve their welfare.

The Chief Executive of HelpAge International, Mr Justin Derbyshire, said there was no explicit standard in international human rights law on older people’s rights to autonomy and independence, long term care or palliative care.