Pohamba advocates regional disability centres
Victoria Immanuel Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba has called for the establishment of centres for people with disabilities and homes for the elderly in every region to ensure vulnerable members of society receive adequate care, support and dignity. The latest 2023 Population and Housing Census shows that 4.4% of Namibians aged five and above have a... The post Pohamba advocates regional disability centres appeared first on New Era.
Black News 
Victoria Immanuel
Former President Hifikepunye Pohamba has called for the establishment of centres for people with disabilities and homes for the elderly in every region to ensure vulnerable members of society receive adequate care, support and dignity.
The latest 2023 Population and Housing Census shows that 4.4% of Namibians aged five and above have a lot of difficulty or cannot perform at least one of six activities, including seeing, hearing, communicating, walking, remembering or concentrating, and self-care.
The figure is higher in rural areas at 5.8%, compared to 3.2% in urban areas, according to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s 2023 Population and Housing Census main report.
Pohamba made the call at his residence in Okanghudi last week during a visit by Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare.
“We should help our people. The government must strengthen and support our people with disabilities, including greater access to employment and education and appropriate support for people with albinism,” Pohamba requested.
Ngurare welcomed the proposal, saying the establishment of such centres would help ensure that vulnerable members of society receive the care and support they need.
“Such facilities could also create employment opportunities for nurses, carers and other professionals,” Ngurare said.
He said centres could benefit the nation by bringing essential services closer to communities and reducing the burden placed on families who are often the only source of care for children with disabilities and elderly relatives.
For parents of children with disabilities, access to a nearby care centre could provide much-needed support while ensuring that children receive appropriate care and assistance.
A woman from Oshakati had to leave her job because she had no one to take care of her child living with a disability while she was at work.
With nowhere safe to leave the child, she had no choice but to remain at home as the main carer.
“My struggle became worse when I tried to secure a place for my child at Eluwa Special School. The school could not accept the child because it was already full, with many vulnerable children from the northern regions depending on the limited spaces available,” she explained.
The proposed homes for elderly people could similarly assist families and elderly people who are increasingly separated by migration for employment.
An activist from Ohangwena, Micheal Shilongo, said some grandmothers remain alone in their homes after their children leave for towns and cities to look for jobs.
“Although the children may leave in search of better opportunities, distance and financial pressures can make it difficult for them to return regularly or provide daily assistance,” he said.
Shilongo said regional centres for elderly people could provide a safe environment, daily care, companionship and access to basic support for those who are unable to live independently.
He added that such centres could also help reduce the pressure on families who may be struggling to provide care from a distance.
“If this proposal could be implemented, it could therefore strengthen support for some of Namibia’s most vulnerable people while ensuring that care is available closer to where communities live,” he said.
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