The Federal Government says it will continue to engage stakeholders to enusure speedy implementation of the geriatric social homecare for Senior Citizens in the country.
Dr Emem Omokaro, the Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during a two-day International Workshop on on-boarding the domiciliary care agency in Nigeria.
Newsspecng reports that the event was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) to ensure speedy takeoff and the operational mechanisms of social homecare for Senior Citizens.
”We are here to put together implementation steps to operationalise what we have already conceptualised, our National Policy Guidelines of Care Quality Assurance for Care Settings.
”This includes Domiciliary that’s (HomeCare) where you can have skilled caregivers, home caregivers going to work in the homes of wherever an older person resides instead of taking them to a public facility.
”So, this means we are now putting a certified agencies and skilled operators to provide care needs of older persons at their homes and comfort zone.
So, this Workshop is for stakeholders to come together and look at our policy document, our strategic roadmap to make sure it align with the global best practices.”
Omokaro said, the workshop aims to ensure that care and support system work for every older persons as a sustainable development, as well as ensure that the working conditions of caregivers are improved in line with global standards.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Mr Abel Enitan, said statistics has shown that Nigeria has a substantial need for long-term care for older persons.
Enitan who was represented by Mr Garba Hanawega, the Director, Legal Services in the ministry, said the need is likely to increase by the growing number of older persons.
According to him, NSCC has worked extensively with relevant MDAs to identify peculiar cultural, institutional and systems challenges, formally recognized and classified different care settings.
While commending the NSCC for their efforts towards improving the quality of lives of older persons, Enitan said, the ministry was proud to note the giant stride being made by the centre.
” Through the NSCC, Nigeria is paying attention to investing in its older population, while integrating its youth population in its programmes with an optimistic perception of ageing.
” The Ministry will continue to support NSCC by undertaking Ministerial- level advocacy for more funding support to the centre for the benefit of our Senior Citizens.”
On his part, Mr Robert Vanne, the Country Director of United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) in Nigeria, underscored the need for member-states to adopt comprehensive care system for older persons.
Vanne assured the NSCC of UN’s readiness to support efforts towards improving living standards for Senior Citizens across the country.
