The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to scale-up efforts to boost healthcare delivery to cater for the medical needs of senior citizens in the country.
The Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Dr Emem Omokaro, said this when she visited the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.
She said the centre had developed a national benchmark for accreditation of care agencies and residential care homes to facilities the acceleration of geriatric social care for older persons.
The director-general also said the centre engaged relevant stakeholders with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of senior citizens whom are most vulnerable in the country.
She said the centre was committed to strengthen collaboration with other agencies to deliver accessible, affordable and quality care for older persons.
According to her, we have already completed training and certification of caregivers with national occupational standard and approval was given by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
Responding, Pate pledged to support the centre to ensure easy access and affordable healthcare for older persons.
The minister assured that health insurance for older persons would be a priority of the federal government, hence the need to collaborate with relevant agencies.
He stressed the importance of healthcare value chains to include huge training and National Certification of Nigerians in care giving.
Pate said the development of skilled care workforce and opening up of the geriatric social care skills subsector of the economy.
He commended the efforts of the senior citizens centre for opening the comprehensive sector-wide programme and multi-sectorial mechanisms for engagements with older persons and stakeholders which are already working.
According to him, priority areas of partnership and support to accelerate alignment of states and development partners for policy and implementation of NSCC’s programmes were identified.
Pate therefore promised to engage the centre with global ageing expert as advisors to facilitate capacity enhancement and a robust research agenda for exchange of ideas for the healthcare benefits of older persons.
“Specifically on Health Sector Renewal Compact with Federal, States and Development Partners by ensuring Universal Health Coverage as well as Unlocking the Health Value Chains,” he maintained.
