Prime
Government should provide senior citizens adequate healthcare
John Mary Odoi
What you need to know:
- What is all this money for if it cannot provide for decent healthy facilities? As if this is not enough, medicines and drugs are also, in most cases, not available in these facilities.
In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 5 states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
And Article 25 states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
Looking at the picture (right) , is this not inhuman and degrading treatment? Does it pass the test of the right to a standard of living adequate for good health? (Source: Social Media 2020).
Throughout our lives, we are busy working, spending and consuming and for all these, taxes are being paid and we are contributing to the running of the State and the development of our nations. I believe this senior citizen in the picture provided has been doing so.
Does he really deserve this at this stage of his life? Who of you, especially the duty bearers, would wish to be in this state? Are we really sure that the State is so helpless that this is all it can afford to provide for the citizens, especially those in dire need?
If I may ask, what are the priorities for the leaders? Is quality health service any of them? This is terrible and regrettable. In this era, to have such a scene is abominable and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. The National Health Budget for 2020/2021 is in trillions of shillings.
What is all this money for if it cannot provide for decent healthy facilities? As if this is not enough, medicines and drugs are also, in most cases, not available in these facilities.
Where is this senior citizens expected to raise the money for a decent healthcare treatment, with certainty that even the savings he may have made are completely depleted. My observation is that the powers that be and the duty bearers are not bothered about the state of health services and that sending citizens to death is normal and appreciated.
Let the senior citizens be valued and respected. Let them feel loved and cared for. Several of you duty bearers are what you are because of the sweat of these senior citizens. They deserve good and excellent care.
Do not forget that one day, you will be where they are, should you live that long. The right to good health and to a good environment is fundamental. It should not be denied under whatever circumstances.
Mr Odoy a human rights [email protected]
