Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is planning to set up elderly citizen clubs and help desks around the city to help its senior citizens get access to their rights and facilities smoothly.

The KMC officials said they were coming up with a programme to assist the elderly population who are often neglected when it comes to health care, allowances and other facilities provided by the state.

“We are aiming to make Kathmandu an elderly-friendly metropolitan city”, said Yagya Badal, senior social welfare officer at KMC, at a function that was organised by KMC in collaboration with Guthi and supported by Freshwater Action Network South Asia (Fansa) in the Capital.

The elderly citizens who participated in the event

recommended the concerned authorities to consider their physical challenges when it comes to accessing the facilities offered by the state.

“The KMC can play significant role in improving

sanitation services to elderly citizen and keep community clean,” suggested Dina Nath Poudel, one of the participants.

Sharing the challenges faced by the elders, Nita Dhungel said, “The existing infrastructure in Kathmandu Valley are not elderly friendly.”  

The South Asian Conference on Sanitation held in Kathmandu in 2013 had highlighted the need to

provide sanitation services to the geographically, economically and socially marginalised communities. “While the South Asian nations aim to be open defecation free region by 2023, governments’ concern on providing sanitation to elderly population is still one of the biggest challenges,” shared Prakash Amatya, regional communication officer of Fansa.