COSROPIN, NAIDCare, Others Seek Intervention In Combating Alzheimer Among Older Persons

The President of Coalition for the Rights Of Older Persons In Nigeria, COSROPIN, Senator Dr Eze Ajoku, OFR, has called for Federal Government’s intervention towards combating Alzheimer among older persons in the country.

Alzheimer is a sickness like demensial that affects mainly older persons when they find it very difficult to recognize their wives, husbands, children and other relations among others.

Speaking during the Walk the Talk sensitization forum to mark the 2024 World Alzheimer’s Day in Abuja, Senator Eze Ajoku said a lot needed to be done most especially in the area of awareness campaign.

Senator Eze Ajoku therefore called for Federal Government’s intervention to assist older persons suffering from the disease.

“The key action is that Government should support in creating awareness on the disease because it is important for Nigerians to know for a lot of people are living in denial and that’s why NAIDCare and other Stakeholders are here today to sensitize older persons in the FCT so that Nigerians will be more caring to every famiy that is suffering from this” He said

In his words”If you see an old person walking on the road, you can say Baba, Mama, do you know where you’re going and all that and see if you can assist in one way or the other for this will go a long way in reducing cases of older persons who just walk sway from their homes as a result of dementia or alzheimer”.

In a remark, the Managing Director, NAIDCare, Principal Partner for the event, Mr Foluso Junaid and the Head, Abuja Office of NAIDCare, James Itodo said the Organization would continue to collaborate with necessary stakeholders in the fight against the disease among the elderly in the country.

They expressed concern that not much has been done towards creating awareness on Alzheimer hence the need for the Walk the Talk sensitization campaign to mark the World Alzheimer’s Day for older persons in the FCT.

According to them, over fifty five million people are living with Alzheimer and other forms of dementia globally while more than one point five million people are affected by the disease in Nigeria and called for more concerted efforts in addressing the problem.

On her part, the Acting Director for Community Health Services, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Nana Abubakar said the Agency had put in place measures towards addressing the ailment among the elderly

According to Dr Nana, the Agency is to integrate the intervention for the care of the elderly at various levels of its healthcare facilities.

Highpoints of the Walk the Talk Sensitization Forum were health talk, medical check and distribution of drugs for the elderly among others