The Government of Uganda has taken the landmark decision to make social pensions available to older people across the whole country.
Read more ›Landmark pension decision set to transform life for older Ugandans
The Government of Uganda has taken the landmark decision to make social pensions available to older people across the whole country.
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When I’m asked to explain how social pensions can mark a turning point for the people receiving them, the story of Kajubi & Nakiwanda in Uganda immediately comes to mind – an older couple who, despite losing everything in the war, are now able to afford the church wedding they had always dreamed of.
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‘We found that while cash transfers can have a positive impact on older people’s access to health services, their effectiveness was limited by low coverage and inadequate benefit levels. Improving income security through social protection mechanisms, such as universal pensions, alongside health promotion activities targeted at older people, can provide a useful way for supporting better access to health services.’
In the context of increasing national and international commitment towards achieving universal health coverage, and the need to address ageing and health issues in all countries, cash transfers are a potential strategy in removing some of the barriers to accessing health care for older people. But what does the evidence say?
Flavia Galvani, Social Protection Policy Officer at HelpAge International, discusses Age International’s study into the impact of cash transfers on older people’s access to health, on The Lancet Global Health Blog.
Read full article here: Do cash transfers help older people to access health services? | The Lancet Global Health Blog
In April 2016 Zanzibar became the first state in East Africa to provide older people with a social pension, thanks to lobbying work by Age International and our partner HelpAge Tanzania.
Now, anyone over the age of 70 can receive 20,000 Tanzanian Shillings (£7.30) a month. On the first anniversary of the scheme, Age International visits older people in Zanzibar to see how their lives have changed.
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Older people are being robbed at pension payment points; have unexplained deductions from their pensions; and are being denied access to healthcare. However, through the Older Citizen Monitoring groups that Age International helps to support, older people are also successfully leading the fight against discrimination.
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