The government has said that, it has no any plan to
add more camps to accommodate old people other than the 17 camps already formed
in the country, the minister fir health whose ministry is also responsible for
the elderly people Ummy Mwalimu has said. The Minister said last week in
Parliament during question and answer session when she was responding a
question earlier raised by the special seat legislator Gidaria (CCM) who wanted
to know if there are plans by the government to add more camps to accommodate
elderly people in the country. The Minister noted that, the number of the elderly
people in the available camps whose number is approximately 500 is enough and
that the government is spending tax payers’ money to take care of them.
Ummy Mwalimu
She
further noted that, in accordance with the social policy it is the obligation
of closer relatives of the elderly people such as their children must take care
of them at the family level wherever they are and never should they expect the
government to take such responsibility any more. On free medication, the government
is trying by all means to make sure that elderly people receives free medical services
and under the current policy this is being manifested to help aged groups which
are estimated to be 2.5 million elder people in the country. However, the
minister dismissed request raised by the special seat legislator who wanted
that the government should have planned to provide pension dies to all elderly
people in the country. The minister however, said that, this policy might not
work as it would require the availability of enough fund to execute the idea. However,
she further noted that, old pensionable elderly people would continue receiving
their dues upon their retirement as these are retirement benefits which are
recognized according to the laws.
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