The Federal Government has stated its plans to develop quality care for older persons in Nigeria.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, this was made known the Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro, on Tuesday during a 2-day workshop on the development of policy guidelines and regulatory framework on quality care assurance for older persons
Omokaro said, ”We are engaging with relevant stakeholders to develop Quality Assurance Systems and Regulatory Framework for Training, Classification, Recognition and Certification of Geriatric Social Care Skills.
”We will also assess training centres and training providers for accreditation of Geriatric Care givers and its agencies,” she said.
NAN reported that the event was organised in partnership with the United Nations Development of Economic and Social Affairs in Abuja.
The Director-General noted that the two-day engagement was to guarantee quality care for older persons in Nigeria.
He equally explained that the engagement was expected to consolidate frameworks and standard operational procedures to ensure improvement in quality care and well-being of older persons and their caregivers in Nigeria.
”As well as opening up enormous job opportunities and the care industry sub-sector in Nigeria.
”Because care of older persons is competence based which needed training and skills assessments at both the training centre and workplace.
”Persons who desire to acquire skills and certification for employment as caregivers to older persons need learning opportunities to enhance their capacities and employability,” she said.
Omokaro pointed out that the training would ensure that care providers met the needed standards for accreditation for quality care assurance.
”In terms of assessments that will guarantee international recognition for national qualification of geriatric social care givers,” he said.
The UN Resident and Coordinator Humanitarian in Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, remarked that one of the targets of UN Sustainable Development Goals was to ensure that no one was left behind.
‘’It is unfortunate that one group that is neglected in the UN programme is the older persons.
”I do realise that as we develop our sustainable development framework, one group we neglected is older people, I’m really sorry for that, but it’s never too late.
”So, one commitment I have is one of the taglines of our sustainable development framework is leave no one behind.
”The older people are clearly a group that should not be left behind, So that’s a commitment I made to you on behalf of the United Nations,” he said.
He expressed the commitment of the United Nations to ensuring that older persons were adequately captured in UN programme.
”And again, we overlook that there is a substantial number of older people that should be part of what we do and consider as UN and it’s not just from a caregiving and vulnerability perspective, being a senior citizen myself.
”I believe that we have a lot to offer to senior citizens,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Dr Sani Gwarzo, said that the event was apt.
Gwarzo, who was represented by the Director, Humanitarian Services Mr Ali Grema, lauded the tenacity, courage and commitment of the NSCC boss toward driving necessary innovations that would ensure quality and sustainable care for older persons in the country.
