Tema, Sept 27, GNA - The Tema/Battor Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SSVP), on Saturday inaugurated a day care centre for the aged, at Tema, with a call for formulation of policy for the integration of the aged into society. The GH¢ 245,000 centre, which also has a shed for People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), would provide the aged with recreational therapy while the PLWHA would receive training in income generating activities. The centre has a library, rest rooms, sitting room, administration, health post, dressing room, dinning room and a summer hut. Mr Louis Atsiatorme, President of the Tema/Battor area of the SSVP, said the care of the aged should not be left to themselves or their relatives alone but should rather be seen as a national concern. Mr Atsiatorme noted that aged persons have contributed immensely to the development of the nation during their youthful days. He therefore advocated proper measures towards improving upon the lives saying due to economic hardship, the aged were left to fend for themselves.

On the plight of PLWHA, the President of the SSVP said most of them have been neglected by their relatives while others have lost their jobs.

Mr Atsiatorme said that others were unskilled citing that most of the women who were traders found their job strenuous due to the condition while the rest were either illiterate or semi-literate. He said that to lessen the suffering of the aged and the PLWHA, the Tema Development Corporation released land to the society in 1998. Mr Atsiatorme said development of the place commenced in 2005 through the help of Western Union Money Transfer, SSVP-Ireland, Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority (GPHA) as well as other cooperate bodies and individuals.

Arch Bishop Emeritus of Accra Arc Diocese, Most Reverend Dominic Andoh, who dedicated the centre, said the gesture of the Society was inline with the Christian doctrine of caring for a neighbour. He said that "Christ our faith urges us to identify ourselves with the needy and disabled and the weak. It is in this spirit that the Church does not relent in her activities to take care of the poor, sick and aged through societies like St Vincent de Paul."

The Dangme West District Monitory and Evaluating Focal Officer for HIV/AIDS, Mrs Rose Assan, advised Ghanaians to desist from stigmatizing and discriminating against PLWHA. She advised the public to patronize the products of PLWHA to help them generate money to buy the antiretroviral drugs to sustain their health. The SSVP is an international Catholic organization of lay people that helps the needy, poor, sick and the aged irrespective of their religious affiliation.