Metro
World Humanitarian Day: Coalition Advocates Improved Care For Older People
The Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older People in Nigeria (COSROPIN) has called for improved care for older people in the country.
Sen. Eze Ajoku, President of the Coalition, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja while speaking on World Humanitarian Day.
Read Also: Mali: ECOWAS Heads Of State To Hold Extraordinary Summit Thursday
Ajoku, who congratulated heroes of humanitarian services, said that older people in the country were not given priority or humanitarian attention.
“Many of the older people have lost their lives due to avoidable sicknesses unlike in other climes.
“We need to step up our care and love for older persons just like in America and Europe, other than the ways and manner we are treating our senior citizens here.
“Our senior citizens need adequate attention now under the global emergency of COVID-19 which is like a cold war, so there is need to rescue older persons medically and provide adequate institutional infrastructure for their care,” he said.
Ajoku who noted that this year’s Humanitarian Day celebration also marked one year President Muhammadu Buhari established the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
According to him, older persons in the country were placed under the ministry with the hope of creating more programmes for care of older persons, which we hope is an indication of more humanitarian attention to older persons.
“Many of our colleagues have died or bedridden as a result of lack of care, so today or this week reminds us of the clarion call to take care of our patriots,’’ he said.
Ajoku while congratulating the Humanitarian Affairs minister on the occasion of the ministry’s one year anniversary, appealed to the minister to make issues of the older persons a priority.
He appealed for support to actualise the non-contributory health insurance for all older persons from 70 years.
Ajoku also called for the renovations and equipping of all rural health centres as well as the establishment of senior citizens centres across the country.
He, however, enjoined all Nigerians to consider the care of older people as necessary because of the various underlying health challenges older people experience.
Advertise or Publish a Story on EkoHot Blog:
Kindly contact us at [email protected]. Breaking stories should be sent to the above email and substantiated with pictorial evidence.
Citizen journalists will receive a token as data incentive.
Call or Whatsapp: 0803 561 7233, 0703 414 5611
