NSCC Pledges Support For People Living With Alzheimer Disease

The National Senior Citizens Centre, NSCC, has promised support to older persons living with Alzheimer.

The Director General of the Centre, Dr. Emem Omokaro made the pledge during a sensitization campaign tagged “Walk The Talk” to mark this year’s World Alzheimer’s Day in Abuja.

Dr. Omokaro who was represented by the Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communications, Mr Omini Oden said NSCC would continue to work with necessary stakeholders towards improving the health and wellbeing of the elderly nationwide

“NSCC maintains an unwavering commitment to inclusivity, particularly in addressing the needs of older persons living in rural areas and those with disabilities and this focus is critical to ensuring that all senior citizens receive equitable access to essential healthy Ageing and social care services” She stated

According to her, NSCC is dedicated to building the Geriatric Social Care Sector Quality Assurance system to provide standards to protect the older persons rights to dignified, appropriate and regulated care at different levels of needs.

In her words “NSCC in its commitment to older persons living with Alzheimers is very strategic about awareness creation, prevention, education and campaigns as well as positive reorientation of the perception of dementia.

“Presently NSCC is hosting discussions with
the Nigeria Civil Society Committee on Development of National Dementia Plan
led by its Chairman, Dr. Laz” the NSCC Director General added.

In their remarks, 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.