The National Senior Citizen Centre (NSCC) says its working with WHO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) to provide integrated healthcare to older persons across the country.

In an interview on Saturday, the director-general, NSCC, Emem Omokaro, said the collaboration involved training community health extension workers.

Ms Omokaro spoke on the sideline of the debriefing meeting by Claudia Mahler, UN Independent Expert on the Enjoyment of all Human Rights of Older Persons in Abuja.

“We are able to form cluster relationships because ageing is inter-sectoral and multi-sectoral.

“We have signed an agreement with NPHCDA, the Secretariat of NGF and WHO. We are working together to ensure that integrated primary healthcare is taken for older persons.

“And by extension to the community through training for community extension workers,” Ms Omokaro said.

On Ms Mahler’s visit, she said it was to strengthen efforts to protect the human rights of older persons in the country.

She explained that the UN expert would recommend gaps in the proper care of older persons to boost Nigeria’s global age watch index.

“We have an excellent policy framework. In fact, we are on top in the area of engagement mechanism,” she said.

The official thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of HumanitarianAffairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, for their support.

Ms Omakaro said Ms Mahlers interacted virtually with stakeholders in Benue, Lagos, Oyo and others across the country.

Similarly, Moradeke Adelakan from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Nigerian government had done a lot regarding issues of older persons.

“I am very happy to report to my superiors and we will take all the information we have at the various UN engagements to tell the Nigerian story.

“We appreciate our older persons and we are willing to learn and support, we would also like to emulate the good effort both at the government and primary level,” Ms Adelakan said. 

(NAN)