Deputy Speaker urges ongoing support for elderly
ZANZIBAR: THE Deputy Speaker of Zanzibar’s House of Representatives, Mgeni Hassan Juma has said that the government recognises and values the healthcare and well-being of the elderly as an essential asset for the nation’s future development.
She was speaking during the opening of a twoday conference to mark the conclusion of a project aimed at creating a conducive environment for healthy aging and improving both formal and informal healthcare systems.
The event was held at Michenzani Mall, Zanzibar.
The Deputy Speaker emphasised, “Aging is a blessing for any country, and society must provide adequate care for this group, particularly in addressing health challenges associated with old age, such as noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), by 2030, one in six people will be elderly and by 2050, the global elderly population will reach 2.5 billion, with one-third of them residing in developing countries.
Moreover, she highlighted that Zanzibar’s Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (MKUZA III) for 2016-2020 underscored the importance of special groups, including the elderly, in ensuring they receive quality healthcare tailored to their needs, in line with Zanzibar’s health policy directives.
She also urged stakeholders to continue supporting the project, which was funded by the German government, even though it has reached its conclusion.
ALO READ: Tanzania sinks 1.3tri/- to boost healthcare
The deputy speaker insisted that since the elderly population continues to grow, the conference should explore ways to sustain the positive outcomes of the project while also addressing the existing challenges.
On her part, the Secretary of the Association of Retirees and Elderly in Zanzibar (JUWAZA), Ms Salama Kombo Ahmed said that the three-year project on elderly healthcare has benefited seniors by providing quality healthcare services across all regions of Zanzibar, leading to significant achievements.
The Project Coordinator from HelpAge International, Ms Martha Jerome highlighted its successes, including improving elderly nutrition and educating seniors on effective exercise routines.
She said: “Other achievements of the project include enhancing elderly healthcare services in physical and psychological treatment, offering counselling services, training community health workers (CHWs) to provide quality care for the elderly and bringing healthcare services closer to seniors through outreach programs in rural areas for medical check-ups and treatment.”
The two-day conference aimed to finalise the implementation of the threeyear project focused on creating a conducive environment for healthy aging and improving formal and informal healthcare systems in Zanzibar.
The project was funded by the German government in collaboration with the Association of Retirees and Elderly in Zanzibar (JUWAZA) and HelpAge Tanzania.
