COVID-19: Coalition Lauds FG For Taking Palliatives To Homes Of Older Persons

COVID-19: Coalition Lauds FG For Taking Palliatives To Homes Of Older Persons

Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) has commended the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for taking palliative packages to the homes of older persons in the country.The President of COSROPIN, Sen. Eze Ajoku, gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.Ajoku said the gesture had helped the older persons who would not have the strength to struggle with the younger ones during normal distribution of such packages.He said that some older persons were comparatively physically weaker than younger persons because of old age and related illnesses.“Therefore any palliative not directly targeted at them as in this case would not get to them.“We have insisted that older persons would not be mixed with younger persons to struggle for palliative packages, and that palliatives not targeted directly at them would surely not get to them.“We insisted that palliative packages should be taken to the homes of older persons who of course you know are fragile and in no mood to struggle and may get infected more easily  by COVID-19, in a crowdy situation,” Ajoku said.The president emphasised the need not to expose older persons to crowd and COVID-19, saying that they have also been advised to always stay at home.“We have also asked them not to interact with younger persons much because if they get infected, they may not be able to survive.”Ajoku said that the current rate of death of older persons through COVID-19 in Nigeria even with the smallest population stood at about 15.5 per cent.He reiterated the commitment of the coalition to protecting older persons with the strong partnership with Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management.According to him, the palliative for the rest of FCT older persons  would be given to the coalition and chairmen of area councils to be delivered to them at their door steps.He said that the distribution of palliative packages to the homes of older persons would be continued with the strict enforcement and monitoring by Joint Task Force of COSROPIN, chairmen of councils and Humanitarian Affairs.Ajoku appealed to the Federal Government to subsidise or  reduce the prices  of drugs for aging ailments as cardiovascular obstructions, diabetes, eye problems, arthritis among others.He commended  President Muhammadu Buhari through the minister of humanitarian affairs  for the direct support to older persons.

Hajiya Sadiya Farouk, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, had commenced the distribution of palliative packages to older persons in Karshi, Abuja on Saturday.