Kigamboni elders concerned over shortfalls in elderly health insurance
What you need to know:
- They called on the government to increase the budget for the elderly health insurance so that it can cover all their health requirements, including drugs that they are currently forced to purchase because they cannot access them through the scheme.
Dar es Salaam. The Kigamboni Council of Elders has raised concerns over the Community Health Fund (CHF) insurance scheme, saying it is inadequate and fails to meet all the medical needs of the elderly.
The council's secretary, Veronica Nyande, called on the government to increase the budget for the elderly health insurance so that it can cover all their health requirements, including drugs that they are currently forced to purchase because they cannot access them through the scheme.
"We call on the government to increase the budget for the elderly health insurance that will be able to cover all their health requirements including drugs that they are forced to purchase because they cannot access through the scheme," Nyande said. She also highlighted other challenges facing the elderly, such as lack of funds for elderly activities.
"Among the challenges we face include some families using the elderly to get money by taking them to the streets to beg, this is not acceptable and we call on the government to take action against such violations of their rights," she said.
Nyande further called on the government to take legal action against people who are abusing the elderly by either raping, robbing them of their rights, or isolating them.
According to her, it should be made mandatory for the public to take care of their elderly relatives by ensuring they have food, and shelter among other important services.
On the issue of the ferry fare, Nyande called on the government to waive the Sh200 ferry fee for crossing over to Kigamboni, especially as a majority of the elderly are underprivileged and therefore cannot afford to pay.
Explaining activities for the elderly in Kigamboni, she said there are a total of 4993 elderly that were recognized in 2016/17 among them 1095 men and 2898 women.
"The Kigamboni municipality allocates money through its internal income for CHF where in the financial year 2021/23 at least 150 people including 59 women and 91 men received CHF health services," she said.
Meanwhile, Kigamboni District Commissioner, Halima Bulembo said the government recognized the elderly and their contribution to their communities and the country as a whole and that was why it had advised them to create councils where elderly activities will be handled.
"I have received your complaints and will work on those that are within our means at the municipal council," she said.
She noted that those that were not inside their docket would be taken to relevant authorities for further action. "I have heard your pleas on the CHF as well as increasing the health budget for the elderly, but it's outside my docket will take this up with the relevant ministry for further action,' she said.
