The Minister of State for the elderly affairs, in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Hon. Dominic Mafwabi Gidudu has revealed that the Government has set aside Ush 5 Billion to Support income generating projects for elderly persons aged between 60 to 79.
He made the revelation during a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala on Wednesday, in preparation for the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, as a platform to highlight abuses and suffering inflicted on Older Persons, slated for 16th June, 2023.
“Abuse of Older Persons is a global social issue but also a Ugandan problem which affects the Health and Human Rights of thousands of older persons. It’s an issue that deserves the attention of all Ugandans and support,” he said.
Minister Mafwabi said the elderly, who comprise approximately four million people out of Uganda’s estimated population of 45.2 million people, according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) 2020 Statistical Abstract, require urgent financial support to engage in profit making ventures. He enumerated these projects to include; poultry, crop or livestock farming and piggery among others.
“I am happy to inform you about the Five Billion shillings Government’s new program that has been designed for weak older persons between the ages of 60-79. This Social Enterprise Grant for Older Persons (SEGOP) is an alternative Government programme that seeks to cater for older persons who are not covered under the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE), and weak Older Persons that may not fit well under Parish Development model,” he said.
Regarding how the money will be divided, Minister Mafwabi said each district will be allocated Ush 15 million, where the elderly are required to apply for the money as a group of 10 people per group engaged in particular income generating projects. He further said the Government will finance three groups’ projects per each district, comprising 30 elderly people.
Sight Akatukunda, the communications officer for the SAGE programme, said the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development is committed to promoting healthy and dignified ageing, where all older persons in the country live dignified lives through a comprehensive social protection system. She added that elderly people aged 80 and above are currently receiving Ush 25000 (Twenty five thousand shillings) each per month to facilitate them buy essential domestic commodities, such as; soap, kerosene for lighting and meeting the cost of human medicines among others.
Lydia Kiwumulo, senior Gerontologist, revealed that the majority of elderly people are located in the central region and that some face incidents of abuse of their rights, brought about by land grabbers, who take advantage of their age and vulnerability to evict them from their ancestral land.
“Makerere University Medical School is working on a curriculum to initiate a post graduate course in geriatrics. This is to address the limited availability of doctors specialized in older Persons diseases. This will in turn improve treatment outcomes for Older Persons including a guided decentralization of drugs of Older Person’s diseases to lower health facilities,” she said.
This year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day will run under the theme: “Seniors Deserve our Respect and Attention”.
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