Ministry Of Health, PCAU And Partners Put A Smile On The Elderly In Lweza
Luke Alinaitwe
With the aim of creating a compassionate community, the Ministry of Health, Palliative Care Association of Uganda, Lweza Community Health Program and Taibah International School hosted the elderly people at St Barnabas church in Lweza.
The event is expected to happen frequently as requested by the elderly people who attended and this was majorly due to the excellent care they received.
Prof. Anne Merriman, founder of Hospice Africa Uganda who also Introduced palliative care in Uganda in 1993 was in attendance. She expressed joy in seeing Ugandans taking on the mantle to help the elderly.
In order to create compassionate communities in Uganda, MoH together with the Palliative Care Association of Uganda is implementing this program in partnership with the Lweza Community Health Program and Taibah International School. It is anticipated to spread throughout the country.
these put a smile on the faces of the elderly at St Barnabas Church in Lweza and the event started with an orientation of students from Taibah International School about how to handle the elderly people.
Mark Mwesiga the Executive Director Palliative Care Association of Uganda explains what the compassionate community program is.
Rose Kiwanuka Musoke the First trained and practising specialist palliative care nurse who is currently a promoter of public health working with the Lweza Community Health Program noted that once in a while the elderly need to get out of their homes.
Rose added that they work with local councils and volunteers to identify these elderly people to help.
The Ministry of Health has the mandate to ensure the availability of healthcare services to those who need especially the elderly and this was noted by Dr Tumwakire Emilly who represented the ministry.
Prof. Anne Merriman, founder of Hospice Africa Uganda who also Introduced palliative care in Uganda in 1993 expressed her joy to see Ugandans taking on the mantle to help the elderly.
Tibah International School is also a partner in this program and we spoke to some of the students in attendance.
