With the start of the New Year, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi has announced pleasing news for the elderly in this nation. He directed to allocate 100 million pounds from the ‘Long Live Egypt Fund’ to support the Fund for the Elderly, which is set to be established once the Egyptian Parliament approves the Elders’ Rights Law.
This wise decision comes within the social protection programmes adopted by the state to support the categories of citizens in need of care, especially the elderly to whom efforts are coordinated to enhance to be provided with better social, insurance and healthcare services.
The State has been keen on submitting a draft law for the House of Representatives to offer more advantages for senior citizens and protect their rights.
The law proposes a punishment of a maximum of one year in prison and a fine of LE1,000-10,000 for dereliction of duty on the part of a caregiver of an elderly.
The penalty toughens up to two years in prison and/or a LE 2,000-20,000 if the caregiver deliberately refrains from looking after the elderly or takes advantage of them.
If the caregiver’s mistreatment leads to a disability or the death of an elderly person, the penalty will a three or five year jail term.
President El Sisi pays great attention to the protection of elderly persons rights and resolving any challenges they face in order to secure them a dignified life. In this affair, The President met on January 1 with Prime Minister, Moustafa Madbouli, and Minister of Social Solidarity Nevine el-Qabbaj.
The President discussed with them a number of issues, primarily the protection and improvement of the quality of life of the elderly in Egypt and ways to address the challenges they encounter.
President Sisi was briefed on the services provided to them, including social, insurance and healthcare services. The discussion also touched on the need to facilitate transactions for the elderly in all institutions, as well as coordinate efforts and develop a common vision towards providing them with the means to live in dignity.
The President gave directives to further enhance and develop programmes for the care of the elderly, set standards for the quality of services offered to them and collect budgets specifically for the services that concern them.
The President stressed the necessity to start studying ways to boost social, health and legal protection for the elderly, and stimulate their community participation across all levels, emanating from the belief in the state’s responsibility towards its citizens in this age group.
We should never forget the strong contributions made by Long Live Egypt Fund in many domains and fulfilling the needs of the low-income citizens. The Fund has national goals that materialise on the ground of reality. in partnership with concerned government entities , the Fund plays important roles in pushing up economic development, reducing poverty rates, and achieving sustainable development. A case in point is the latest decision to allocate 100 million from the Fund for providing further social care for them.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief
of The Egyptian Gazette and
Egyptian Mail newspapers
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