The Federal Ministry of Health and the Birmingham City University, UK, have entered partnership to provide healthcare package and safety net for the aged population in the country.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, made this known in a statement issued by Mrs Boade Akinola, the Director, Media and Public Relations of the ministry, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Akinola stated that the minister said this when the three-man delegation from the university paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
Adewole said the ministry was collaborating with the Birmingham City University to prepare health packages that would give quality care to the aged in the country.
He added that the partnership would also include capacity building for health professionals, strengthening of disease control and healthy aging.
The minister assured the delegation that the Federal Government would support the concept.
He said “we support the concept but we need to have a policy framework and
a strategic development plan that is costed to drive the concept to fruition.
“When you look at our population profile, we are a youthful population with about 70 per cent youth and 30 per cent elderly.
“So, when we look at the aged, we are planning for the future.”
Adewole said government was committed to advancing the course of the elderly, noting, however, that aged people were susceptible to non-communicable diseases like hypertension, diabetes and cancer.
The ministry’s director stated that the leader of the delegation, Prof. Hafiz Khan,
told the minister that the intent of the concept was to improve access to health of the aged population.
He said that at the moment, aging was a global issue, hence taking care of the elderly was of paramount importance.
He explained that “the concept has two components – International Policy Framework for Nigeria as a whole and Social Security.
“The policy will be implemented both in the long term and short term.”
According to him, the UK University will build the capacity of health professionals in the country.
“We need to organise training programme for health professionals on care for the
elderly, with focus on aged people suffering from dementia and mental disorder,’’ he said.
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