Lagos State government, through the Office For Disability Affairs, has offered financial assistance to about 150 senior citizens with disabilities in the state with the sum of N200,000 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) each.
The initiative, according to the government, is to provide healthcare support to persons with disabilities and empower them towards fostering their independence, dignity, and inclusivity in the society.
Speaking at the empowerment program held at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Ikeja, with the theme “Empowering Senior Citizens, Enabling Independence: A Commitment to Inclusion and Dignity,” General Manager, Office For Disability Affairs, LASODA, Mrs. Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, said that the program is a reflection of the state government’s commitment to creating a supportive environment for all citizens regardless of their abilities or age.
Oyetunde-Lawal mentioned that the agency is celebrating this year’s International Day For Persons With Disabilities to recognise and acknowledge the elders in the state as it remains steadfast in protecting the rights of PWDs and ensuring their full integration into society.
She said, “For the first time that I know, the state government is not only recognising them, we are also taking the conversation on their healthcare, general well-being and a cash sum to persons above 60 with disabilities. The beneficiaries will go through comprehensive health checks, including tests for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and other health assessments.
“Also we have parents who themselves are above sixty years and have been care givers of their children with disabilities, we didn’t want to exempt them because the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu is all-inclusive, so we are extending the gestures to parents with children with disabilities who themselves have parents above sixty years.
“Our biggest goal is to ensure that persons above sixty years in Lagos understand that we know that they exist, we understand the peculiarities of their needs and we are hoping that they will take advantage of health care schemes that the Lagos State has set up among others. Today, we have brought together only 150 of these individuals above sixty years with the biggest aim that this will be replicated across states as well as the national level.”
Impactful years
Oyetunde-Lawal maintained that in the past year, LASODA has launched several impactful programs and initiatives that have integrated persons with disabilities into society, stressing that more of these gestures will be done in the coming years.
Also Read: Lagos Government Supports Disability Groups With Advocacy Fund
She, however, assured that the agency will continue to advocate for policies and initiatives that empower individuals with disabilities to live their lives to the fullest.
LASODA Boss added that the state Ministry of Youth and Social Development is in the process of building more elder homes aimed at ensuring that there is adequate provisions where people can go to learn about elder care so as to close the gaps of knowledge in that regard.
Promoting inclusion
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Social Development, Mrs Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, who was represented by a Director in the Ministry, Mr. Abiodun Dina, emphasized the commitment of the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu to improve the well-being of the elderly citizens, and the gesture is a way to promote inclusion, which is part of the THEMES developmental agenda of the government.
One of the resource persons at the event, Dr. Adewale Adebanjo, enjoined the beneficiaries to adhere to health regulations by staying away from alcohol intake, smoking, and consumption of junk foods, while urging them to embark on a regular check of blood pressure and eat more food that contains potassium in order to regulate blood pressure.
Healthy living
Dr. Adebanjo, who mentioned that the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes is rising in Africa and Nigeria is no exception, however, applauded the initiative by the agency to activate the preventive measures through health education to enlighten the senior citizens on the necessary approach to healthy living.
The beneficiaries appreciated the gestures by the state government to cater to the aged in the state as they all promised to continue to support the initiatives of the government towards making lives more meaningful for the residents.
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