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Tag Elderly

Health

COWAP seeks more health education for elderly

Elderly
By Joan Odafe
Lagos, Feb. 7, 2020 (NAN) Some stakeholders of an NGO, Charity Organisation for the Welfare of Aged People (COWAP), have called on private and public sectors to adopt strategies to improve the health of the elderly in the country.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday that the elderly could live longer if they were encouraged to exercise and educated on how to manage their health.

Mrs Esther Kelechi-Njoku, a Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS) Commandant from the Church of Presentation Detachment, called for continuous education and awareness on proper health management.

“We should have more lectures; make a 20 to 30 minutes lecture on how to care for themselves at this age.

“They should be encouraged on how to eat healthy and once in a while, they should be educated on the kinds of ailments the elderly suffer.

“They should be educated on the management and feeding for people with different ailments; some of them are diabetic, they should advise them how to live,” Kelechi-Njoku said.

Mr Darlington Ajitemisan, a former Chaplain with the Nigerian Correctional Services, identified physical exercise as a major strategy to ensure that the elderly stayed healthy.

“When the elderly exercise, there’s a flexibility of the ligament and it helps every part of the organs; sickness is reduced.

“It’s also important to talk about food. When exercising and you don’t talk about it, it’s minus zero.

“We tell them to avoid cholesterol, to avoid foods and drinks that are sugary and drink a lot of water,” he said.

Mr Esan Olushola, Founder of COWAP, said: “The organisation plans to adopt new strategies to ensure that the elderly have access to information and care.

“We will get more youths, train them on how to care for senior citizens and place them in different locations as our representatives.

“We’ll reach them through their churches, mosques, Short Message Service (SMS) and using the community leaders to educate them.”  (NAN)
JOJO/MAS/AJA
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Edited by Moses Solanke/Adeleye Ajayi

 

Health

Spine surgery for elderly not death sentence – Expert

Spine surgery for elderly not death sentence – Expert
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Surgery
Abuja, May 7, 2018 (NAN) A Consultant Neurosurgeon at an Abuja based hospital, Dr Biodun Ogungbo, says age is no barrier to surgery in the elderly and not a death sentence.
Ogungbo said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
“If the surgery can be done safely and if the benefits outweigh the risks, then, no problem. Of course, no one can guarantee 100 per cent success but the majority will benefit and have a new future.
“Some doctors still believe that spine surgery is a death sentence. But, this is not true, at least not in Abuja.
“The operations have been performed safely on the neck and back for many patients with a good outcome in the majority,” he said.
Ogungbo said there was cooperation among hospitals, while many surgeons in the industry had pledged to maintain and improve on the successes of managing the elderly.
He said the poor results of the past are still clouding the present and jeopardising the future, saying many patients are not offered surgery and instead are taken to the villages for unorthodox medicine or to churches for prayers.
“Some are left at home in pain until death eventually comes. Before death though, someone has to look after mama or papa, and someone may have to leave employment to stay home with them.
“Elderly patients suffering from arthritis of the spine should not be left in pains and misery.
“Something should be done when an older person starts crying in the mornings and praying for early death on dark nights,’’ Ogungbo said.
He said arthritis causes wearing out of the bones and pressure on the nerves and spinal cord.
Ogungbo said the destruction of the bone causes instability which may require operation to reinforce the bones, adding that the pressure on the nerves may require operation to free the nerves and release the pressure.
He said surgery requires firm diagnosis, clear evaluation of the physical status of the patient, assessment of the fitness for surgery, a clear surgical plan, honest, balance of the benefits and risks of surgery as well as effective post-operative support by spine-trained physiotherapists.
Ogungbo however said surgery on the spine was safe if performed by experienced surgeons and with adequate expert support from nurses and physiotherapists. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Foundation commends President Buhari for assenting to Senior Citizens Act

Foundation commends President Buhari for assenting to Senior Citizens Act
NAN-HG-7
Welfare
Abuja, Feb. 2, 2018 (NAN) The Dave Omokaro Foundation (DOF) on Friday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the Senior Citizens Centre bill.
Mrs Emen Omokaro, the Executive Director of the foundation, expressed the delight during a courtesy call on the Managing Director of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Bayo Onanuga, in Abuja.
According to her, the action by Buhari was in line with the mandate of the foundation.
Omokaro said that the foundation, over the years had focused its activities on issues of ageing and development, capacity building and mainstreaming ageing.
“The foundation also focused on canvassing for Nigeria to have policies on ageing, national framework on ageing as well promoting life course.
“Ageing is inevitable and increasingly people are becoming healthier and growing old.
“Over 9 million Nigerians are currently aged 60 plus. This figure is rising from 8.4 million in 2015 and projected to reach 15 million by 2030 and 29 million in 2050.
The population of older persons is growing 3.3 per cent census rate which will have impact on the social system and is Nigeria ready for it?’’ Omokaro said.
She said that DOF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Human Rights Commission with the aim of ensuring the welfare and rights of older persons in Nigeria.
Omokaro further said that the foundation was collaborating with the ministries of national planning, health, education, women and youths as well as National Population Commission, among other MDAs, to sensitise them on the need to include the aged in policies.
She appreciated NAN for promoting issues of ageing and development over the years and solicited further support.
The executive director announced a weeklong capacity building in March to empower drivers of the policy.
Responding, Onanuga said lack of welfare for the aged in Nigeria was a contributory factor to corruption.
“We don’t have programme to carter for the aged in our country as seen in the developed countries.
“The issue of corruption that we keep facing in the society is due to lack of social welfare policies that includes the aged.
“We will help to mainstream ageing so that the Federal Government as well as State Governments will also get involved in the cause,” he said.
He pledged the support of NAN in creating more awareness in mainstreaming ageing issues and thanked the foundation for giving workers of the agency an opportunity to be trained.
The managing director expressed optimism of a robust working relation with DOF. (NAN)
CSO/ESAN/MST
Edited by Abiodun Esan/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NHIS steps up awareness for elderly, retiree’s programme

NHIS steps up awareness for elderly, retiree’s programme
NAN-HG-4
Programme
By Talatu Maiwada
Abuja, Jan.15, 2018 (NAN) The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) says it is stepping up public awareness on elderly and retiree’s health insurance programme provided by the scheme.

Dr Emmanuael Uba, the General Manager, Formal Sector Department, NHIS, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Uba said the programme, also known as Vital Contributor’s Social Health Insurance Programme (VCSHIP), was designed to cover the healthcare needs of retirees, aged and Nigerians who are not covered by any programme of the scheme.

He explained that the programme allows individuals to pay N15,000 annually for their own contributions while contributions could also be made on their behalf.

He added that the programme, which was renewable annually, also provides access to quality healthcare services for the enrollees.

“The NHIS designed this programme over three years ago for the benefit of our senior citizens, the elderly ones and Nigerians who are not under any programme of NHIS.

“This is because NHIS is a contributory scheme, which means, is either you contribute or someone else contributes on your behalf which keeps you covered.

“However, when people retire from service, they are out of government payroll and contributions are no longer paid for them, that is why NHIS designed a special package for them to still have access to healthcare after they are retired,” Uba said.

On procedure for registration, the general manager said interested persons could register at any NHIS offices in the states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the payment of N15,000 annually. (NAN)
TIM/JPE/MST
Edited by Joseph Edeh/Muhammad Suleiman Tola