‘Covid-19 has decimated elderly people’
The Covid-19 pandemic has affected society in general. In particular, the elderly have faced a horde of problems. KONDWANI KAMIYALA caught up with ANDREW KAVALA, executive director of the Malawi Network for Elderly People’s Organisations (Manepo) on this and more. Excerpts:
Q
How have the elderly been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic?
A
As you are aware, the highest mortality rates globally have been reported for older men and women and those with serious underlying conditions. Fatality rates for those over 80 years of age is five times than those of the younger age groups. In Europe, where countries have well-resourced heath and care systems, over 95 per cent of fatalities due to Covid-19 are of people 60 years and above.
In Malawi, older people already face well-documented challenges in accessing health services in both development and humanitarian settings. It is no exaggeration to say that the consequences of Covid-19 pandemic remain devastating to them and their dependants. Hence, older women and men face a disproportionate threat to their health, rights, social and economic well-being due to the pandemic.
Q
What have been the interventions you have put in place to protect the elderly and cushion the social and economic problems they may face with the pandemic?
A
Covid-19 interventions are multi-sectoral and require concerted efforts. Manepo continues to engage with various players working on Covid-19 related responses that the specific risks and impacts of Covid-19 on older men and women must be recognised, in terms of the risk of serious illness, vulnerability to violence, abuse and neglect and longer term socio-economic and mental health impacts. We also continue to highlight the importance of reaching those at highest risk with information on the pandemic and protective measures.
Information must be accessible to older men and women in appropriate languages and formats, taking into consideration sight and hearing related impairment. On top of the above, Manepo has been distributing hygiene materials like soap, sanitisers, face masks and buckets to older men and women. This aside, we have also reached out to some older people with what we are calling Covid-19 relief packs containing sugar, flour, salt, cooking oil, etc.
Q
Is it not too late to try and protect the elderly?
A
No, it is not too late. The Covid-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering to older men and women. I strongly suggest that government should fully integrate a focus on older persons into the socio-economic and humanitarian response to Covid-19. The devastating social and economic impact of Covid-19 on older persons needs to be addressed in both the crisis and the recovery phase.
Going forward, we need to broaden our partnership in the fight against the pandemic and ensure the full inclusion of older persons in shaping the policies that affect their lives. We also need to tackle ageism and stigma against older persons head-on.
Q
There is an Elderly People’s Policy in place. With the absence of a law to protect them, what is being done to fight for their protection?
A
We are using the already existing national legal and policy instruments in the fight for the protection of the rights for the elderly. However, we do recognise the urgent need to have an ‘Older Persons Act’ which will go a long way in ensuring that we are able to provide a conducive and safe environment for our senior citizens in Malawi. For some time, there is a proposal for a social pension scheme to help the elderly.
Q
How would that help improve the livelihood of the elderly?
A
Minimum social protection floors are increasingly recognised as a necessary and effective approach to ensure the benefits of development are shared fairly, and no one is left behind. This issue is no more relevant than for older men and women who, despite the contribution they have made throughout their lives, often struggle to secure an income.
Old age pension schemes have proven to be a successful approach to ensure income security for older people and their families, particularly in low income agricultural economies, like Malawi, where the role of contributory pensions is more limited.
Q
What are lessons from other countries?
A
Social pensions are an increasingly popular approach being used in other African countries to ensure income security to older people and their families. These schemes provide regular predictable government-financed cash transfers to older people regardless of their previous working history. A number of countries in the region, such as Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa have had social pensions in place for many decades, yet in recent years there has been a rapid growth in the number of schemes in the region. Countries including Kenya, Lesotho, Uganda, Swaziland and Zanzibar have also introduced social pensions.
Q
There are other cushions where the elderly are included, like the social cash transfer, village savings and even the public works programme. Why propose for a targeted social pension scheme for the elderly?
A
The expansion of the Social Cash Transfer Programme has proved to be a lifeline for many older men and women in Malawi. Nearly a quarter of older people (65+) live in a household receiving the transfer, while 16 percent are direct recipients (as household heads). A number of studies have shown the positive impact of the scheme on increasing income and food security.
Q
Do you have any other comments?
A
I would like to remind all Malawians that ageing is not an emergency. Rather it is a process, factors equal and constant, it will catch up with everyone sooner than later. As a country, we need a fundamental policy and attitudinal shift on ageing and old age to reflect and promote the contributions of older persons to the Malawian society. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of ageing, public debates and policies must promote older persons as a solution to many development challenges Malawi is facing.
