DIGNITY HEALTH CARE CENTERS (DHCC)
Dignity Health Care Centers implement social protection for old persons, with social securities strategies that should prevent and fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) in an inclusive manner in councils. DHCC is implementing the Cameroon Government Health Ministry/Health District Development Plan gram implement Health Sector Strategy Program, has decentralized its activities in District levels to reach out to the old persons in dying needs of specialized health services. The world is changing in the 21st century, and one of the biggest social transformations is population ageing. Soon, the world will have older people than children and more people of very old age than ever before. The World Health Organization (WHO) holds that the world will have more people who live to see their 80s or 90s than ever before, and that the number of people aged 80 years or older, for example, will have almost quadrupled to 395 million between 2000 and 2050. More children will know their grandparents and even their great-grandparents, especially their great-grandmothers. On average, women live six to eight years longer than men more reasons why there should emphasis on Glad the Widows Scheme to match the gap. Between 2000 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will double from about 11% to 22%. The absolute number of people aged 60 years and over is expected to increase from 605 million to 2 billion over the same period.
Dignity Health Care Centers is broken down into packs that guide and guarantee care through ageing to old age for the full participation of all ages in the development cycle of the society. In this respect, each DHCC has the following schemes that are implemented with the beneficiary population in each Health District in Cameroon.
DIFI is preparing the ageing population towards an inclusive social responsibility of their health through several co-opted activities which are determinants for a healthy ageing life and old age. Dignity Health Care Centers through DHCC projects combats pre-natal under-nutrition in the womb, which may increase the risk of disease in adult life, such as circulatory diseases and diabetes; respiratory infections in childhood which may increase the risk of chronic bronchitis in adult life and obesity. These childhood diseases at adolescents who may run the risk of developing chronic diseases, such as diabetes, circulatory disease, cancer, respiratory and muscular-skeletal disorders, in adult life. Dignity Health Care Centers while educating the ageing on these health challenges as well as helping the present old persons already caught up in the web of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes, as well as infectious and parasitic diseases.
With an increasing elderly population in Cameroon, more people will be at risk of age-related visual impairment which DHCC seek to curb in educative and curative intervention.
DIFI through DHCC combat all forms of maltreatment at homes including physically restraining patients, insufficient care (such as allowing them to develop pressure sores). The maltreatment of older people can lead to serious physical injuries and long-term psychological consequences, situation that DIFI fight to end in communities. DIFI assist old persons in their respective council clubs to live independently because of limited mobility, frailty or other physical or mental health problems. DHCC offers a long-term care through residential care and long stays in Dignity Homes for the Old (DIHOPs).
Dignity First International notes that with a dramatic increase in the number of people with dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, with the available, accessible and affordable long-term care their condition may warrant. Dignity First International under DHCC has established security systems as follows:
a) Mutual Health Organisation (MHO).
MHO is a preventive and social protection scheme based on the principle of health risk-sharing pooling contributions of individuals to MHO office in council areas for a pay-out in cases of ill-health hits a member. Dignity First has gained experience from the success from the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) schemes in Cameroon include MHO under DHCC for the effective and sustainable care for ageing/old persons throughout. The MHO funds takes care of health insurance up to 75% of the hospitalization of patient and or dependents (04) listed on a card throughout the year while beneficiary cover only 25% as an effective means to curb poverty and exclusion. The beneficiaries in each District Office, democratically elect their representative seating to control such funds destined for the welfare of these ageing and old persons. DIFI mobilizing and coordinating this service, give the assurance of best governance for sustainable development.
b) Dignity Care Products (natural supplements).
Dignity Health Care Center experts in the domain shall collect, create and disseminate effective natural health supplement tested and proven best for all persons health up-keep especially those supplements that cure gastro-intestinal tract diseases, gastritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cardio-vascular diseases, catarract-glocuma, skin-teeth-ear infections and genital related ailments.
c) Monthly Health Campaigns for Vulnerable Persons.
DHCC offer on every last Saturdays of the month in councils carry out Councils Ageing/Old Persons Health Fitness Campaign made up of health education (preventive and curative measures), diagnosing of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and fitness exercise . During these councils Ageing/Old Persons Health Fitness Campaign carrying out distribution of supplements, medicated eye glasses, walking aids, massaging, eyes care and referrals to competent health facilities. This outreach and services carried out free of charge in order to assist the ageing/old persons to keep tract of their health.
DIGNITY HOMES FOR OLD PERSONS (DIHOP)
Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) is a specialize care center for housing, loving and caring for ageing and old persons located in Councils areas. DIHOPs in councils has zones opened in villages; unite ageing and old persons in active and interactive clubs discussions and assistance on current challenges and stakes affecting old persons. Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) harness the intergeneration resources for their welfare. Implementing the United Nations 2002 Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA), DIFI developed a comprehensive action planned inclusive and progressive bottom-up strategies for old persons integrated development building for a society for all ages.
The strategies of DIHOPs consist amongst other; distant family care to active old and ageing persons, their income generation activities/Health protection network and care for most vulnerable old persons abandoned to themselves.
DIHOPs offers integrated and intergeneration livelihood projects for ageing/old person’s welfare. DIHOPs work with beneficiaries directly and indirectly. DIHOPs offer direct health care and Home Care through family indirect assistance.
Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) handle issues of poverty, social exclusions, discrimination and gross human rights violation faced by the ageing and old persons using inclusive bottom-up solutions in villages with strategic response to such violations once reported from coordinators. DIHOPs puts ageing persons in active energy demanding incomes generating activities as well as social projects meanwhile the vulnerable old persons are cared for with regular health checks, leisure, and small income generating activities as well as their integration in the society.
Dignity Homes for Old Persons (DIHOPs) present projects implemented in council areas:
a). Community Resources Centers for the Old.
Each DIHOPs office shall host a community resources center which shall promotes the running of short cycle integrated perishable vegetable and livestock farms network (fowls, Piglets Pass-on-Project, Non Conventional livestock), Bio-Farms Projects (Organic Gardens), Old Persons Honey Project, Old Persons creative arts, Carving, broidery and handicraft products. Community Resources center for the old shall host discussions and information feedback in the communities.
b) Widows Rights Project.
DIHOPs empower widows with social and economic rights, fight against discrimination and gender-based violence. The core of the project is "Glad Widows Hearts Campaign", "Pass-Over Seeds, Breeds and Skills Project" and Dignity Care against NCDs. Glad Widows Hearts Campaign is solidarity campaign for the welfare of old persons in moments of sadness and happiness through FREEWILL donation and or gifts in cash, clothing, medication, projects resources etc. In sad events each DIHOPs member extends solidarity action(s) from freewill membership of DIFI. Download full project of "Glad Widows Hearts Campaign"
c) Old Persons Pension Rights Scheme. DIHOPs through this scheme carry out the progressive registration of would-be and pensioners, adviser the latter on safety nets or security for old days as well as their rights within any social security institution and assist any person who request for, genuine and cost free procedure on how to access their pension in appropriate Social Insurance institution. Ageing persons benefit from DIHOPs expertise in Retirement Projects Proposals development to enable them to have a stress free Retirement in self-run Income General Activities of choice.
d) International Wisdom Camps (North-South cooperation of old persons for solidarity and development).
DIHOPs through this project brings old persons from the North (developed nations) who are specialists in their domain such as medical doctors, engineers and teachers to interact with old persons in South while repairing and or constructing community schools, hospitals, bridges and other income generating projects. Part of the camping are organized in touristic/recreational parks where these international visitors from the North spend useful leisure in touristic sites while they carry out exchange workshops on managing ageing/old persons projects. During the skills and abilities workshops, retired but active old persons pass over wisdom, culture/tradition, spirit of tolerance and inter-generational solidarity projects to fight against discrimination and human rights violation and sustainable development. International Wisdom Camps rotates within and without countries yearly. Best participants at the end of their camps with awards of best old but active senior citizens’ realization as well as pass over skills and knowledge.
DIGNITY ORPHANS HOME (DOH)
Dignity First International initiated the Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) in 2012 to support with shelter, food, clothing and love for orphaned street kids as well as bringing to them trainings in career-enhancing and livelihoods.
Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) addresses needs of vulnerable children affected or infected by HIV/AIDS, broken homes and general delinquency in a holistic and sustainable manner with vision of impacting a sustainable, long-term difference to the lives of African children through the foundation and development of low-fee Dignity Educational Complex, and or professional skill and craft capacity development as well as social security scheme “Mutual Health Organization” for these children to reach their full potentials.
Dignity Orphans Home (DOH) runs different divisions within each home made up of Dignity Health care Center, Children's Home with modern dormitory centers for both male and female orphans and Dignity Educational Complex offering education from Pre-Primary School, Crèche, Primary and Secondary levels.
Dignity Orphans Home is committed to the above time-bound and specific goals, with inclusive strategies and actions in promoting children healthy lives; providing quality education; protecting them against abuse, exploitation and violence; and combating HIV/AIDS from the grassroots communities. The preparation of these children is from tender ages of months to maturity (eighteen years) for them to face live in a best manner despite their social background.
All endeavors of Dignity Orphans Home is implementing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) advocating that all children ‘should be fully prepared to live an individual life in society, and brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations’. In Dignity Orphans Home experts are convinced as it was the declarations in 1990, by the remarkable World Summit for Children, at which 159 Heads of State and Government and other high-level representatives proclaimed that ‘there can be no task nobler than giving every child a better future’. DIFI is acting now to save the ugly pictures that children are subjected to daily. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted in the year 2000 and reiterated in May 2002 all of which involve the rights of the world’s children hope to build ‘A Cameroon Fit for Children a strong convictions that shall be attained with glaring results.
VULNERABLE IN-MATES ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VIAP)
Detention centers (prisons) are supposed to be a milieu where in-mates are expected to be reformed pending their reinsertion in the society they once wronged and went out of established norms, rules and laws. The inability of these correctional institutions to guarantee the wellbeing of in-mates during their detention period and mental development of societal norms, not forgetting the respect for his human dignity has rendered several prisons areas of cultivation of more hardened human beings for the debased of other persons dignity including theirs.
This trend must be reversed and DIFI takes the bull by the horn to handle in-mates health, nutritional, the problem of abandoned persons especially vulnerable (old, young and handicapped) in prisons by families, powers that be is growing in Cameroon. The situation is worse at this moment when there is extreme poverty affecting the care for these vulnerable.
DIFI shall assist the vulnerable in-mates with good food, medication and reinsertion into professional work (training and placements) during and or before their release. In mates who are human beings shall be educated on the societal norms, law abiding and civic rights and obligations. The project shall pay more emphasis on these vulnerable and underprivileged in detention centers and old vulnerable persons with constant health, social needs assistance and reinsertion of in-mates into gainful activities in the society upon their freedom.
The Vulnerable In-mates assistance program (VIAP-Cameroon) shall equally seek to promote reforms for better management of prison in-mates in major prisons in Cameroon.