Parliament is set to pay tribute to Uganda’s oldest living citizen, Ms. Lucy Kahubire, who is 134 years old. Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Thomas Tayebwa, has directed special arrangements to transport her from Fort Portal City to Parliament, celebrating her remarkable age as a significant achievement.
Mr. Tayebwa’s directive followed a statement by Mr. Dominic Gidudu, the Minister of State for Gender in charge of Elderly Affairs, who informed Parliament about the celebrations of International Day for Older Persons held in Kyegeggwa District on October 1.
During the session, legislators emphasized the need for increased government investment in the welfare of older persons, including specialized healthcare, and a reduction in the age requirement for the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) from the current 80 years.
They also highlighted the importance of improving rehabilitative and geriatric medicine, creating courses in geriatric medicine at medical schools, and establishing a department for geriatric medicine at the Ministry of Health.
Legislators expressed concerns about elderly individuals begging on the streets and called for measures to sensitize communities to care for older persons. They suggested the government consider establishing homes for the elderly as an alternative to them being on the streets.
Mr. Gidudu mentioned that his ministry, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has developed guidelines to support older persons. Additionally, the President had directed the Ministry of Health to include old age-related diseases in the requests for drugs at lower health facilities, recruit old age medical specialists (geriatricians), and prioritize awareness of the diagnosis of old age-related diseases.
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