Geriatrician advocate for the establishment of Ministry for Older Persons in Nigeria.
By Ishaq Haruna Hardawa
A Consultant Family Physician Geriatrics, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital Bauchi, Dr Muhammad Dauda Haruna has advocate for the establishment of Ministry for Older Persons to cater for the Senior Citizens unique demands.
Dr Muhammad Dauda Haruna who is also the Head of Geriatric Unit of the Hospital, made the appeal in a Globe FM Programme Health View, on a topic Geriatric Care.
He Said the Ministry when established would speared head policy formulation and implementation aims at improving the health and wealbean of the Senior Citizens.
He said the Older Persons faces different geriatric problems that requires caring for the sustainace of their overall health promotions, disease prevention, care and rehabilitation.
Dr Muhammad Dauda Haruna mentioned some of the Geriatric Syndrome affecting older persons to Include Cognitive impairment, dementia, incontinence, depression, elder abuse, isolation.
Others are multi morbidity, hearing impairment, visual impairment, constipation, malnutrition among others.
The Geriatrician called for the creation of more geriatric units and training of Geriatricians to attend to the health and wellness of the Senior Citizens, as presently only ATBUTH Bauchi has geriatric unit in the entire Northeast region.
The Consultant Family Physician Geriatrics admonitions the family members of Older Persons to establish cordial relationship to enable them understand their conditions at all time, for immediate intervention.
