The Federal Government says it is working on plans to develop quality care for older persons in Nigeria.
The Director-General, National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) Dr Emem Omokaro, revealed this on Tuesday during a 2-day workshop on development of policy guidelines and regulatory framework on quality care assurance for older persons
”We are engaging 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.
The two-day was organised in partnership with the United Nations Development of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in Abuja.
Omokaro said the engagement would consolidate on frameworks and standard operational procedures to ensure improvement in quality care and wellbeing 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 needs 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 said 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, Matthias Schmale said one of the targets of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 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 assured of the United Nations determination to ensure that older persons were adequately captured in the 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.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Dr Sani Gwarzo, said that the event was apt.
Gwarzo, represented by the Director, Humanitarian Services Mr Ali Grema, commended the doggedness, courage and commitment of the NSCC boss toward driving necessary innovations that would ensure quality and sustainable care for older persons in the country.
