Masaka. President Yoweri Museveni has advised elderly people to abstain from potentially dangerous activities that are likely to harm their lives.
The president noted addressing the national celebration of older person’s day at Liberation Square in Masaka City on Tuesday.
The day was celebrated under the theme “Protection and promotion of elder persons rights everyone’s responsibility because ageing is not option”.
In the massage delivered by his Vice President, Jesca Alupo, the president emphasized the need to abstain from bad habits such as smoking, excessive drinking, drug abuse and adultery since they interfere with natural aging.
He stressed the need for daily exercise and establishment of small businesses to keep their mind occupied so as to prevent dementia.
“Every elderly person is supposed to have a daily plan, so that when you wake up the mind is aware of what you are going to do throughout the day”. Museveni said.
The National Council for Older Persons Chairperson Charles Isabirye urged the government to include senior citizens in a national health insurance scheme to improve their access to quality healthcare services for various ailments.
He emphasized that such a scheme would help prevent the deterioration of health among older citizens.
According to him, older persons often face difficulties accessing geriatric care due to structural limitations such as accessibility, negative attitudes from service providers, and a shortage of qualified personnel and medical supplies in government health facilities.
The Ireland Ambassador to Uganda, Kevin Colgan, called on the government to eliminate all forms of discrimination against older persons and establish community-based support systems to help them live with dignity.
He pledged his country’s continued support for Uganda in strengthening social protection and promoting the well-being of its senior citizens.
To support the proper monitoring of elderly physical fitness, President Museveni confirmed government’s plan to introduce a weekly physical exercise day aimed at assisting local authorities enforce the monitoring of elderly physical practices.
In the move to strengthen protection for the elderly, Museveni has lately directed the Attorney General to rewrite the older Person’s Act to strengthen their protection.
The act will address issues concerning mandated respect for elders in all public and service delivery offices, mandatory training for age care specialists, and protection of elders from selfish offspring of over 25 years forcibly claiming their assets.
The Vice president presented a dummy cheque of one hundred seventeen million to support older persons in Greater Masaka districts under the National Special Enterprise Grant.
Peter Ssenkungu, the Masaka District National Resistance Movement Chairperson commended the president for supporting elderly persons in the country.
“There is a lot in place for us celebrate, most important is the SAGE money, although it is still somehow little but at least it is available.” He noted.
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