In a plenary session chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Thomas Tayebwa, Parliament has directed special arrangements to be made to transport the oldest living Ugandan citizen from Fort Portal City for a tribute.
The centenarian in question, identified as Ms. Lucy Kahubire, is an impressive 131 years old and resides in Fort Portal City. Deputy Speaker Tayebwa emphasized the significance of celebrating such a remarkable achievement.
“This is a big record. Living up to that age…,” Mr. Tayebwa remarked.
This decision followed a statement by the Minister of State for Gender in charge of Elderly Affairs, Mr. Dominic Gidudu. He informed Parliament about the celebrations of International Day for Older Persons, which took place in Kyegeggwa District on October 1.
The annual event was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1990 to raise awareness of the needs and concerns of older persons.
According to Mr. Gidudu, the Uganda National Household Survey for 2019/20 revealed that the population of older persons had increased from about 1.7 million in 2016/17 to 2.2 million.
In response, legislators called on the government to invest more in the welfare of older citizens, including specialized healthcare considerations. They also suggested lowering the age for the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) from the current 80 years.
Mr. Nicholas Kamara, the Kabale Municipality MP, highlighted the increased susceptibility of older individuals to non-communicable diseases and the importance of improving rehabilitative and geriatric medicine. He proposed the creation of geriatric medicine courses in medical schools and a dedicated department at the Ministry of Health.
Ms. Margaret Makhoha, the Namayingo District Woman MP, expressed concerns about elderly citizens begging on the streets and called for the government to consider establishing homes for the elderly to address this issue.
Mr. Gidudu reported that his ministry, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, has developed guidelines to support older persons. Additionally, the President directed the Ministry of Health to prioritize the provision of drugs for old age-related diseases and the recruitment of geriatric medical specialists.
