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Keynote speech at the occasion of the World Health Day
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai
April 13, 2012

The Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr. Henry Madzorera

The Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Acting Principal Director Mr. Muringi

World Health Organisation Country Representative: Dr. C. Mandhlate

Representatives of UNICEF and UNFPA

Bulawayo City Director of Health Services, Dr. Z. T. Hwalima

Harare City Department of Health Services

The Senior Citizens of Zimbabwe

Health Advisor to the President and Cabinet, Dr. Timothy Stamps

Midlands Governor and Resident Minister Mr Jaison Machaya

Midlands Provincial Administrator Ms Chitiyo

Midlands Provincial Medical Officer Dr. Milton Chemhuru and staff

Provincial Medical Directors

HelpAge Zimbabwe Director, Mrs. Gavi

Zvishavane District Administrator, Mr Chiwanga and Staff

District Development Committee Members

District Medical Officer Dr. Mavurayi and his staff

The Event Organising Committee

Members of the Diplomatic Corps

Invited Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen

I feel greatly honoured and privileged to be invited to speak here today at this great occasion.

We are gathered here today to Commemorate World Health Day, which is traditionally observed annually on the 7th of April worldwide.

For us as an inclusive government, it is a day that we take stock of the great journey we have travelled to improve the health conditions of the people.

Most of you will recall that four years ago, hospitals had become death chambers, with no staff and medicines while health-care had become a luxury afforded only by the rich.

Health care had collapsed and most people had resorted to traditional healers and prophets to access this important service. Indeed, vazhinji vakanga vaakuenda kumasowe as conventional healthcare in our clinics and hospitals was simply not there.

We are not there yet, but most of you will agree that though we still have problems, we have functioning hospitals and clinics with dedicated staff.

Today provides an opportunity to look with pride at the journey we have travelled and to educate communities on a specific targeted health issue and mobilization of resources to support related interventions.

This year's World Health Day Theme is Aging and Health, "Good Health Adds Life to Years." So this year's commemoration focuses on health issues that mainly affect the aged.

Globally, since 1980, the number of people over 60 years has doubled and is projected to increase by 80 per cent in 2050. The introduction of ARVs and the general improvement in the management of health problems will see an increase in the number of the aged in Zimbabwe.

Today offers us an opportunity to honour the Senior Citizens for the sterling work they have done in raising us. We owe our lives to these old men and women who of course will never appreciate that we are now grandfathers and grandmothers in our own right.

Even my own mother, Ambuya Tsvangirai, continues to treat me as a child, notwithstanding that I am a grandfather with my own grandchildren and sons and daughters-in-law.

Such is their love that they continue to love us and to care for us throughout our lives.

Our old people are a fountain of wisdom in directing and guiding us through life challenges. They are reservoirs of unparalleled experience. We treasure them. We salute them.

Older persons are important to any society and nation but their contribution can only be fully realized if they maintain their health and if barriers that prevent their engagement in family and community life are broken down.

I know that old persons are often worried about our own health even if they are not feeling well themselves. A few months ago, I was using crutches to walk after spraining my leg, but my mother was more worried about my condition than her own indisposition.

So we must strive to assist them in accessing health care as families, communities and as a government.

It is estimated that as many as 80 percent of older people are not covered by social security, suggesting that a disturbing number of around 607 million people aged 60 years or older lack social security cover.

Women are less likely to have contributed to formal pension schemes and a large proportion of these millions are older women. Chronic poverty impacts mainly on the aged even though most of them are the main providers in the household.

In our own situation we have older persons taking care of orphans, especially due to the high prevalence of HIV&AIDS.

The single most pressing human rights challenge for older persons is poverty which invariably leads to homelessness, malnutrition, unattended chronic diseases, lack of access to safe drinking water, unaffordable medicines and treatment. These are just a few of the critical human rights issues that need to be addressed.

In light of this theme, the question is: What is Government Doing For Aged Persons?

We have come up with the Older Persons Bill which will provide for the establishment of the Older Persons Board. The Bill focuses on the rights of the Elderly.

Under the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, aged persons have the following benefits:

• Access to free treatment for persons aged 65 years and over. The implementation of the policy is hampered by economic challenges.
• Universal Access to free Insect Treated Nets - for protection against Malaria.
• Zimbabwe Tuberculosis Treatment is free for everyone including the elderly.
• The Ministry is collaborating with NGOs in the provision of Basic Water and Sanitation.

Under the Ministry of Labour and Social Services, the aged are:

• Assisted Medical Treatment Orders (AMTOS). This facility ensures access to treatment by the vulnerable groups within the society which includes the elderly. - however the facility needs vigorous marketing

What Needs to be Done:

The Madrid Plan of Action on the Aged and the Political Declaration adopted at the Second World Assembly on Ageing in April 2002 offers how to address the key challenge of "building a society for all ages".

Government, NGOs and other policy makers need to be reoriented in the ways in which their societies perceive, interact with and care for their older citizens.

There is need for policy efforts in ensuring a life of dignity for the older persons and protection of their rights through universal access to Social services such as health care and food facilitated by Social Pensions in the form of cash benefits without the requirement of prior pension contributions.

We must promote a healthy life styles among our old people and this includes eating nutritious foods , exercising regularly, avoiding use of tobacco, practicing safer sex, and avoid alcohol and substance abuse.

This will reduce risk of developing heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and raised blood pressure, chronic obstructive respiratory conditions later in life which are expensive to treat and may lead to disability.

We must encourage and support the following:

• Ensure access to regular health check -ups.
• Ensure access to safe water supplies and basic sanitation to minimise risk of communicable diseases which could be fatal in elderly.
• Provision of early detection services for non- communicable diseases (NCDs) which would result in early treatment and minimise development of complications and disability.
• Government to ensure that Senior citizens are looked after in a caring family environment- or institutions.
• Protection of Aged person's independence.
• In emergency situation: The aged are especially vulnerable:- Situations such as flooding, famine, civil strife: the Aged be included among the priority groups for emergence services.
• Training / recruitment of Specialists in Geriatric Health services.
• Establishment of Geriatric hospital / wards for the provision of? the specialist service.
• Respect and Value of the Aged persons: Every elderly person should receive due respect, their dignity respected regardless of gender, race, social status or religion.
• Involvement at all levels of decision making- particularly on issues that affect them.
• Need to improve access to safe drinking water supplies and basic sanitation to minimise risk of development water borne communicable diseases - cholera, typhoid, dysentery and other diarrheal diseases which can fatal in the elderly.
• Creating better environment for older residents.
• Improve access by the elderly to appropriate housing, public? transport, outdoor spaces and buildings.
• Constitution of Zimbabwe - Draft document omitted a provision for Elderly persons.

Ministry of Health and Partners will provide the following free services:

• Screening for Raised Blood Sugar, Raised Blood Pressure today.
• Cataract surgery a week from today for a week at Zvishavane Hospital - Screening has already been conducted.
• Other services to be provided include screening for breast cancer.

As we leave here today let us remember

Health Aging begins before conception and continues through the life course by adopting Healthy Behaviours.

• Eating Healthy
• Exercise
• Safer Sex practices
• Avoid tobacco use

Lets us care and protect the rights of our Senior Citizens.

Remember tomorrow it will be you.

Lastly, it would be remiss of me to leave this podium without addressing the sad loss of jobs in this town. While Mimosa and other mines have accommodated some workers made redundant by the closure of Shabanie Mashava Mines, job creation is imperative in this town.

My priority as your Prime Minister is job creation. Jobs, jobs, jobs must be the watchword for any caring government but unfortunately, policy discord has resulted in shrinkage of job opportunities rather than their expansion.

Any policy that destroys jobs and investment prospects will not have my support. But any policy that creates jobs is good for the people of Zimbabwe.

Empowerment with job creation is what Zimbabwe wants. This town will be a ghost town if jobs are not created and if we do not uplift the standards of living of ordinary citizens.

The mine was a major employer and it made this town tick. Now that the Government has stepped in, we have to create those jobs again. We must ensure that we bring life to Zvishavane again.

We must bring back the sounds of machines in our factories.

We must provide jobs for our people.

This is what the people of Zimbabwe want.

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