Malawi to construct care centres
Malawi Government says it will soon construct an Elderly Care Centre for destitute elderly and disabled people in Neno District to improve their welfare.
Director in the Ministry of Disability and Elderly Chikumbutso Mtumodzi disclosed this recently in Lilongwe during a press briefing at Centre Office of Information in Lilongwe held in commemoration of Africa Public Service Day which was on 23rd June 2013.
He said there were plans to construct centres in all the three regions so that the country should have similar structures at regional level.
Mtumodzi said government was also soliciting and distributing vita-meal flour and other fortified food and non-food items such as blackets and clothes to frail and malnourished elderly persons and those disabled and helpless for their upkeep.
“As a ministry, we are doing this to ensure that the disabled and the elderly are comfortable and that they should feel that they are just like any other person,” he explained.
Mtumodzi said the ministry in collaboration with MAP, Machoa, Kodo and Fedoma, provides supporting devices such as wheelchairs, crutches, walkers and other physio-occupational therapy to the persons with disabilities.
He added that his ministry was there to promote the rights of persons with disabilities and the elderly to ensure that they benefit from various interventions implemented by government and non-governmental organisations and that they actively participate in mainstream activities.
“In our ministry, we do raise public awareness on the rights, needs and potentials of persons with disabilities and the elderly so that they achieve social-economic independence and thus contribute to the wealth of the country,” he said.
The director further said that the ministry, among others, facilitates the provision of rehabilitation service to persons with disabilities, supports resource centres with learning materials in different formats and promotes access to information and physical environment through Braille literacy programme.
‘’The Ministry of Disability and Elderly also provided educational support to needy and deserving disabled students in government-recognised institutions,’’ he said.
The target group in his ministry also provided with information on different issues including HIV/Aids.
