HOME-BASED caregivers have asked government to craft a policy that recognises their key and complementary role in providing access to health care.
REPORT BY STAFF REPORTER
National co-ordinator of the Zimbabwe Home-Based Care Alliance Shorai Chitongo told NewsDay yesterday her organisation was concerned about government’s lack of appreciation of their role.
“While at national level other interest groups are benefiting through government programmes such as indigenisation and economic empowerment, community share ownership, land reform, mining sector nationalisation, broad-based economic empowerment and Sedco among others, nothing has been set aside for caregivers. The question is why live out caregivers?” Chitongo said.
“We make an impassionate plea to the government to adopt a caregivers’ sensitive approach when crafting national budgets.”
She added: “We demand a stand-alone caregivers’ specific policy, that will clearly articulate the curriculum for Home-Based Care (HBC) training, remuneration, HBC Kits, access to treatment, HIV prevention education, nutrition and orphan care support, psychosocial support of caregivers, incentives for caregivers, gender equality in care giving, equal access to national resources, proportional access to the AIDS Levy (at least 5%), economic empowerment programmes for caregivers, career advancement of caregivers, representation of caregivers from local to national structures.”
She said caregivers should also receive salaries equivalent to general hands at government hospitals.
