During the opening of the International Colloquium “The Rights of Senior Citizens in the World”, gathering over 200 representatives from some 15 countries, the Cuban health official expressed that an example of this is the free medical assistance and achievements in the country’s social security.
Our society does not neglect the attention of children because they are the future, or the senior citizens because they are our history, said the Deputy Health Minister after talking about the current aging of the population characterized in many countries and which has an impact in all aspects of society, politics and economy.
Regarding this current reality, Gonzalez said that Cuba is not an exception, with 19.8 percent of its people over 60 years of age representing over 2 million inhabitants.
Gonzalez thanked the International Federation of Associations of Elderly People for having selected Cuba to hold their annual event and the delegates and guests from the five continents, whose exchanges will contribute to favoring an active and inclusive aging process.
The Doctor added that the presence of the elderly makes us see that the world values our efforts and could appreciate that the science done in Cuba, as said by National Hero Jose Marti is “for the good and by the good of all”.
President of the FIAPA, French Alain Koskas, thanked the Cuban authorities for celebrating this colloquium held for the first time in a Latin American country and praised Cuba’s work in favor of senior citizens.
Teresa Orosa, President of the University of Senior Citizens, highlighted that education in Cuba is a universal right for life, \ “maintains us updated, autonomous, empowers us and with health, security and the citizens participation, constitutes one of the pillars of the so called active aging\”.
The General Assembly of the FIAPA and the 6th Encounter of the Continental Network of Senior Citizens in Latin America and the Caribbean will be held on Thursday in addition to visits to institutions tied to the attention of the elderly.
Official website of the Cuban Radio
