Elderly people enjoy free health services

MOSES MATTHEW in Magu

A MEETING of elderly people. The government has proposed free health services to persons aged 60 years and above.

TANZANIA faces serious challenges of improving the health and well-being of its people. The Ministry of Health and its partners in government, the donor community and civil society have thus responded with concerted action, in many cases achieving significant gains.

 

Services for prevention of mother-to child transmission of HIV are being expanded. Also, a new protocol for malaria treatment is being implemented and evaluated, hundreds of service providers are now trained in life-saving skills for childbirth and all districts have been oriented to the programme of integrated management of childhood illnesses (IMCI). These achievements are particularly notable given serious funding limitations in the health sector.

The allocation to health has increased only slowly over recent years, from 7.5 percent in fiscal year 2000 to 8.7 percent in fiscal year 2003, according to the Ministry of Health. As regards treatment of old people, the government advocates free health service provision to those aged from 60 years and above.

In order this to be implementable however, health providers in Magu District have requested the government to support supply of medical equipment and drugs in order to accelerate services in health centers and dispensaries.

The Nyanguge Health Center Medical in Charge, Ms Salome Kamfune told the ‘Daily News’ during a visit sponsored by the Magu Poverty Eradication Rehabilitation Center (MAPERECE), old people monitoring committee yesterday that there is health infrastructure problem. “We are grappling with lack of equipment and infrastructure, including wheel chairs and washrooms, ‘’Ms Kamfune said.

She said that through MAPERECE awareness is encouraging and the community is keen to give information on sick old people seeking them to go to the health centers and dispensaries. In support, the Nyanguge health center’s clinical Assistant, Ms Zita Joseph said that they have only 5 laboratory technicians and one assistant medical officer, all sharing one room.

The Kigangama Health Center Assistant Medical Officer, Ms Leocardia Tungaraza said the center does not have enough pit latrines . Patients suffering from diabetes and pressure have to be referred to another hospital. The problem in that, they have no money to foot their bills. Kitongosima health center in Rugeye ward is facing the same problems.

The Clinical Officer, Mr Tubanga Masanja said that shortage of drugs is a major contributing factor to poor health services delivery the old patients. The health center’s Assistant Nursing Officer, Ms Theodora said that shortage of rooms for out patients and shortage of health staff is another obstacle. This goes together with shortage of laboratory technicians which makes medical checkups difficult.

Ms Monica Robert, a resident of Kitongosima confirmed that people get health service 24 hours and you only have to knock the door at the health providers’ houses. She said the only problem is walking a long distance before arriving at the centre this is almost five kilometers away.

Ms Prisca Ruswetula, resident of Nyamughe said that she walking the same kilometers of Ruswetula’s own, so made a call to the government and MAPERECE to find out any means to work on this challenge.

The old people monitoring committee under MAPERECE visited health centers and dispensaries in Nyanguge, Rugeye, Kitongosima and Kigangama with the objective of seeing that old people are attended to as required.

The committee helps to see if there is any challenges of discrimination by health providers. The aim is impose, secure, active and healthy lives to older people in the district.

According to the MAPERECE’s older people better health coordinator, Ms Grace Julius the project procedures to make follow up to see how the old are receiving health service in health centers and dispensaries.

She said that her organization’s role was to improve access to free, age-friendly health services for older men and women and prevent and manage chronic illnesses that are a major factor to their problems.