Deputy Executive Director in the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS), Petronella Masabane has called for older persons’ rights to be protected at all times.
Masabane, who was speaking at the National Consultation on the National Policy on the Rights, Protection and Care of Older Persons (NPOP) in Namibia in Swakopmund on Tuesday, said there is a need for stakeholders to ensure that older persons continue to benefit from society regardless of their contribution towards it.
“Older persons have the knowledge and wisdom, therefore we should allow ourselves to be guided by this knowledge and wisdom. At the time when many younger people were sick and dying of HIV/AIDS and currently with the increase in mental health issues, it was the older people who took care of and continue to take care of younger persons,” she said.
Statistics by the Namibia Statistics Agency indicate that 44.5 per cent of older persons experience multidimensional poverty, however the Namibia Protection Policy makes provision for social protection measures to address poverty among this cohort.
Masabane noted that the government is addressing issues that violate older persons’ rights through policies such as the NPOP.
The goal of the NPOP is to promote, protect and ensure the rights and dignity of older persons, to enable them to enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms entirely on an equal basis with others.
MoHSS as custodian of services to older persons, has provided for the development of the NPOP in the 2020/21 financial year. This policy is reflected in the ministry’s strategic and action plans.
World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Representative, Charles Sagoe-Moses emphasised the importance of the NPOP noting that Namibia is in accordance with the framework developed by WHO for implementing the priority actions of the Decade of Health Ageing in Africa.
“The framework is aimed to among others provide guidance and support WHO member states in Africa to develop policies and build collaborative multisectoral partnerships to combat ageism and promote age-friendly environments,” he noted.
The workshop will enable stakeholders to review the draft policy and make recommendations for its finalisation.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
