Foundation Urges Government To Prioritise Policies On Elderly

Fantswam Foundation, a non-governmental organisation in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has urged governments at various levels to prioritise the welfare of aging citizens.

Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Comfort Kazanka, made the call in Kafanchan on Tuesday, during a visit to the Chairman of Jema’a Local Government Area.

Kazanka said that many elderly people were lonely and poor, adding that issues affecting their health, social and economic well-being should be improved to make life easy for them.

She said that Nigeria needed to do more towards achieving universal health coverage, especially for the aged.

She said that based on a survey the foundation undertook recently, some of the challenges faced by the elderly include lack of access to quality healthcare, accommodation, feeding, and inability to foot utility bills.

According to her, the government ought to formulate policies that would ensure the aged are given priority in public places such as banks and hospitals.

She said that such policies are necessary to prevent the elderly from standing in queues for long periods due to their declining strength.

Responding, the council chairman, Mr Yunana Barde, assured of his administration’s resolve to always support the cause of the elderly.

Barde said the council was ready to give the needed support to individuals and organisations that bear the burden of caring for the elderly.

NAN/Oyenike Oyeniyi