Isles urged to offer free health care to aged

Elderly women waiting to be registered for funds. The elderly and orphans have been given Sh7.4 billion, up from Sh4.9 billion in the Budget, as the Jubilee administration strengthens social welfare. FILE 

DAILY NEWS Reporter

THE Isles government has been advised to consider lowering the non-contributory pension age to 60 from the current 70 as well as to ensure that free healthcare is effectively implemented with special consideration to elderly people.

HelpAge International Country Director, Ms Amleset Tewodros, said findings show that the majority of elderly people have never been in the formal labour market and therefore do not receive pension from the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF).

“They did not have any other source of income despite facing a range of health and disability challenges,” she said in Dar es Salam yesterday ahead of the universal pension forum in East Africa to be launched in Zanzibar today.

Older men and women over the age of 70 will receive a monthly non-contributory pension of 20,000/- pegged to the cost of an essential basket of goods.

“The universal pension in Zanzibar is welcome news for East Africa,” said Ms Tewodros, adding it will help to reduce poverty and inequality among older people on the island, providing a small but stable income for many who are extremely poor,” she said.

Although the Zanzibar health policy states that older people should receive free healthcare, this policy has not been effectively implemented and thus requires older people to pay fees when they attend a clinic or hospital.

“This is the same story repeated many times over in many other African countries,” said Ms Tewodros, who urged regional bodies and governments to adopt pension measures to improve the lives of older people