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precautionary measures taken by the government. Kenya has adopted
the WHO recommendations and instituted additional measures such as
countrywide dusk-to-dawn curfews in a bid to prevent the escalation of
COVID-19. Conversely, such measures have had detrimental consequences
for older persons’ well-being.
The pandemic has resulted in food insecurity, massive loss of jobs and
social exclusion. Loss of income has aggravated older persons’ poverty levels,
rendering them incapable of catering sufficiently to their needs such as food,
and healthcare. Besides, the loss and brea»down of social networ»s caused
by COVID-19 has taken a toll on the mental health of older persons, as
their psychosocial support needs are hardly met. This is especially true
for older persons living alone, who may also have difficulty accessing valid
information, food, medications and other crucial supplies during loc»downs.
On the other hand, older persons living in skipped-generation households
are predisposed to contagion. Nonetheless, the following recommendations
are made for the government to alleviate the vulnerability of older persons
in «enya in the current COVID-19 pandemic:
∙
Prioritise older persons in COVID-19 vaccinations.
Design policies to protect older persons from contagion and warrant
their treatment if infected.
Provide social support and furnish older persons living alone with
information on accessing medicines, supplies and emotional support.
Ensure older persons have adequate access to water and sanitation
facilities.
Improve the healthcare system to offer quality primary health services
to older persons and be prepared for future pandemics.
Ensure timely disbursement of contributory and non-contributory
pensions to older persons, prioritising those without any pension form.
Provide older persons with subsidies, emergency funds and food to
shield them from the economic impact of COVID-19.
Достарыңызбен бөлісу: