Accra Oct. 2, GNA- Ms Joanna Baddoo, Treasurer of Helpage Board has called on the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare (MESW), to liaise with the National Health Insurance Authority to exempt the poor and the aged from paying the registration fee of GH¢ 4.00. She said the requirement had prevented the vulnerable persons from registering with the scheme.

Ms Badoo who made the call at a durbar on Friday to commemorate United Nations Day for older persons, which falls on the first of October each year, suggested the need for the diseases and drug coverage of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to be made more relevant to the healthcare needs of older persons.

She also appealed to the Welfare Ministry to extend the Livelihood Empowerment against Poverty Cash Transfer Programme to poor and older persons.

Ms Baddoo said the celebration on the theme: "Age Demands Action," was aimed at drawing government's attention to interventions aimed at enhancing the welfare of the aged by hastening the passage of the National Aging Policy (NAP) to promote the socio-economic and cultural re-integration of older persons into the mainstream society. She said it was estimated that the number of people who are 60 years and above in the country since the 1970 and 2000 census had tripled and continue to grow.

Ms Baddoo noted that older persons are gradually becoming a demographic force to reckon with in Ghana, hence the need to for aging issues to be taken serious.

"It has taken the country too long to put in place the necessary structures to ensure that older persons are adequately provided for by the State," adding "who an older person is in Ghana is yet to be determined by a national law or policy".

Ms Baddoo said though the Implementation Action Plan for the National Aging Policy was validated in July, it has not been accorded much attention.

She noted that the continuous absence of a policy for aging in Ghana creates the impression that the process is abstract while older persons are irrelevant to the development of the country. Ms Baddoo however acknowledged the various support programmes being implemented by the government, citing the NHIS, that exempt older persons who are 70 years and above from payment of the minimum premium of GH¢ 7.20.

Mr Enoch Tei Mensah, Minister, MESW, in a speech read on his behalf saluted all older persons in the Ghanaian society for their immense contributions towards the nation's development and also acknowledged the good work being done by the Helpage Ghana. He said NAP, which had been with his sector Ministry for some time now is ready for submission to Cabinet next week for consideration. He explained that the need for the NAP arises from the governments realisation that without a coherent and comprehensive overall framework guiding the different sectors and agencies involved in developmental issues relating to older persons, not too much could be achieved in improving their wellbeing in Ghana.

The Minister said the NAP would among other things, create a National Co-ordinating Institution on Aging, provide Comprehensive Health Care Programmes including Geriatrics for older persons at both national and international levels and promote their employment as well as community care facilities. 1 Oct. 10