Govt purchases radio sets for the elderly

Lerato Maleke | Friday May 16, 2014 17:31

The minister said that as 2016 approaches, it has become imperative for government and the people to pull together towards achieving the ideals of the national vision. He said the government has put in place comprehensive social protection policies and programmes to protect people from risk and vulnerability.

“In our effort to contribute towards realisation of the Vision 2016 Pillar of being a  ‘Compassionate, Just and Caring Nation’ my ministry continues to provide social protection in the form of social safety nets, shelter, psycho-social support, labour intensive public works, cash and food transfers to different categories of vulnerable groups in our society,” he explained.

He said government has a primary responsibility of promoting, providing and ensuring access to basic social services by elderly people as per Article 13 of the Political Declaration made by UN member in 2002 in Madrid, Spain.

“Government has also taken a decision to give free health care to the elderly in government health centres and that all service providers must have a dedicated help-desk for the elderly so that they do not queue for a long time,” he said.

He said his ministry is currently working on a National Policy for the Elderly. “I am very happy to be launching yet another successful project of 9,918 radios for elderly persons who live alone without carers. You will recall that government made this promise at the beginning of 2013, and I am glad to announce that today the promise is fulfilled,” he asserted.

He said there is no doubt that the radios are going to facilitate access to information by elderly persons and empower them. He called on other stakeholders to help in the radio project because government cannot manage alone.