Tema West Assembly commemorates International Day for Older Persons

The Tema West Municipal Assembly has provided free medical screening for over 500 aged persons in commemoration of the International Day for Older Persons.

The International Day for Older Persons, established by the United Nations is observed on October 1, annually to raise awareness on the special health needs of the aged.

This year’s celebration was under the theme; “pandemics: do they change how we address age and ageing”.

The Tema West Municipal Director at the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development, Madam Clara Sowah established that her outfit held separate programmes for the aged at Adjei-Kojo, Sakumono, Klagon and its environs.

According to Miss Sowah, with the help of the Tema Polyclinic, DCI Clinic, and the Tema West Municipality, free ear, eye and throat screening, as well as general health consultations were carried out for free.

The programme also saw the sensitization of older persons on nutrition, dementia, proper health care and COVID-19 related issues.

She said, majority of the aged in Tema West are beneficiaries of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme, stating that, new registrations had been made to enrol more older people onto the social intervention.

Tema West Municipal Chief Executive, Mrs Adwoa Amoako said the Assembly will do all it can to seek the enrollment of more aged onto the LEAP programme as a way of cushioning them.

Mrs Amoako therefore urged the youth to take proper care of the aged in their various homes as they are a repository of knowledge and culture which must be preserved.

“Let’s treat the aged well because we will all grow one day, ”she added.