,…Tasks Nigerian Government to prioritize, strengthen health care needs of older people
By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The World Health Organization, has revealed that over 14.8 Nigerians are older people and urged the Nigerian Government to prioritize and strengthen the health care needs of its older population of older citizens living in the country.
This makes Nigeria one of the countries with alarming population figures in sub- Saharan Africa projected to double to more than 1.5 billion people in 2050.
On the occasion of the first National National Summit on Healthy Aging in Nigeria, the WHO Country Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Molombo made this call and also charged the Government of Nigeria to prioritize the UN Decade of Health Aging for its older citizens, adding that this step would help to reduce the number of care dependent older people.
Molombo said that this can be achieved by prioritizing development and strengthening health and long – term care of older citizens, especially for those in communities.
He said, “We call upon the Government of Nigeria to continue to exercise leadership and increase investment in human capital development to further strengthen partnership and prioritizing for the Decade of Healthy Aging by focusing on improved engagement with older people.”
” Better understanding of older peoples’ needs; developing and strengthening health and long-term care, specifically in communities, and improved multisectional action in aligning with the PHC system approach.”
Furthermore, Mulombo called government to strengthen mechanisms to ensure better outcomes in the areas of better healthy life expectancy; age-friendly cities and communities; and reduced number of older people who are care-dependent.
Nigeria has an alarming population figure of 14.8 million aged 60 people and above, while globally there were
703 million persons aged 65 or over in 2019. Over the next three decades, the number of older people worldwide is projected to more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050, WHO reveals .
Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to have an expected blotted population of aged 65 and above from 32 million in 2019 to 101 million in 2025.
The WHO Representative called for a committed engagement with older people in their diversities, to amplify their voices to promote and ensure that healthy aging becomes a top priority.
The first National Summit on healthy aging in Nigeria with the theme: “Decade of Healthy Aging in Nigeria: Situation, Challenges and Transformative Pathway was organized by the Federal Ministry of Health and Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
