NGO Begins Campaign To Check Decline In Care for the Elderly
A non governmental organization, 60plus Advocacy Initiative, has embarked on an awareness campaign to revive the culture of caring and helping the elderly in the society.
The awareness campaign which was kicked-off in Lagos with a quiz competition to sensitize some primary school pupils selected from twelve schools on Lagos Island is to enable the senior citizens lead a comfortable and dignified life, while also passing on morals and ethics which will ultimately make the society a better place for all.
According to the Chairman of 60plus Advocacy Initiative Governing Council, Mr Adeyinka Obalade the campaign tagged “Respect and Help for the elderly” is aimed at checking the decline in the care of the elderly in Nigeria, beginning from the very young.
“The culture of respect for the elders must not be lost, we decided to catch them young so that they will also pass it on to their peers and while growing up, to the next generation too, we are going to do more, for example, an elder wants to cross the road, bit nobody wants to wait for them, that is not what is expected of us, so we will be going to other schools, secondary schools and even markets to create awareness” he said
- Published in Event 2022
Group Advocates For Respect, Help For The Elderly By Younger Generation
Mr Adeyinka Obalade, Chairman 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative, has stated that respect for the elderly has deteriorated amongst the younger generation and as such it is paramount that campaigns to resuscitate the respect for the elderly be carried out and enshrined in schools from primary to tertiary institutions in a bid to inculcate the value of respect for the elderly especially from the cradle.
He made this statement at an event organized by the association today at the Arch Bishop Soremekun Memorial Hall, Lagos Island tagged “Respect & Help the Elderly”, a public awareness campaign geared towards enshrining the value of respect for the elderly.
The event saw the attendance of key government dignitaries in the persons of Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu representing Eti – Osa 11 Local Government Area as the Guest of Honour, Mrs. Olatunde Eniola representing the Lagos State Chairman Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB Hon. Wahab Olawale Alawiye – King, Executive Members of the association and twelve public primary schools from Lagos Island.
The Chairman also mentions that this is a pilot campaign which is billed to go to the secondary and tertiary institutions. He further adds that the campaign is in line with the core objectives of the association as the younger ones today will become elders tomorrow, and as such the elderly should be respected, loved, helped and protected in the society.
In a bid to enshrine these values of respect for the elderly, the schools represented were given activities to perform in line with the campaign to showcase their understanding of who an elder is and how an elder should be treated in the society. Awards, gifts and certificates of participation were given to outstanding students and their schools. Ansarudeen Primary School Okepopo, St Mary Girls and St Mary Girls Convent came tops in the quiz competition.
Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu representing Eti-Osa 11 Local Government Area while addressing the schools states that the campaign by 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative to Primary schools is in the right direction as children are the future of our country Nigeria. He adds that pupils representing their schools today, are now ambassadors billed with the responsibility of carrying the campaign to their homes, neighborhoods, schools, places of worship and the society at large. He further reiterates that they now have a mandate to correct and teach others how to show love, help and respect to the elderly.
Responding to the Honourable, the Founder of 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative Mrs. Dupe Fashina appealed that the association should be invited for presentations during meetings of Honourables in the State representing the various Local Government Areas so that the campaign can be embraced and enshrined in other Local Government Areas.
She also made an appeal to Mrs. Olatunde Eniola representing the Chairman Lagos State SUBEB, that the association should be given an invitation for presentation on the crusade for the respect of the elderly during meetings with schools in the state in a bid to spread the campaign which when embraced will definitely raise a new generation of children and youth who respect and love the elderly.
The primary schools present include: Anwar –Ul- Islam Primary School, St Mathias Boy Primary School, St Peter Faaji Schools, Holy Cross Catholic Primary School. St Mathias Girls Primary School, Tinyubu Methodist School, Anglican Girls Seminary School, Christ Church Cathedral School, Ansarudeen Primary School Okepopo, Ebute Elefun Primary School, St Mary Girls, St Mary Girls Convent.
60 Plus Advocacy Initiative launched on the 19th of November 2020 is a non-profit, non-religious, non-governmental and non-partisan association, promoting the interest of the rights of senior citizens in Nigeria, by embarking on public awareness campaigns to improve the quality of living for every senior citizen in Nigeria, by teaching the younger generations to respect the rights of the older persons. The association also organizes sustainable programs and train volunteers who are willing to serve as caregivers for senior citizens and also organizes campaigns against discriminations and abuse of the elders on the grounds of age.
The association has recorded success stories in its short period of existence which includes: Placement of 250 senior citizens from Epe, Isolo and Surulere on the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), which is the health scheme under the Lagos State Government, provision of Keke Marwa to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Ikeja LASUTH), AND Gbagada General Hospitals to assist the elderly move around the hospital, advocacy for the creation of Geriatric Centers in all primary Health Care Centers and implementation of the Bill for the establishment of the Center For Senior Citizens across Nigeria.
- Published in Event 2022
Donation of Keke to Gbagada General Hospital. 9th Dec 2021
- Published in Event 2021
60 Plus Advocacy Celebrates International Day Of Older Person’s 2021, Donates Tricycles To The Elderly In Lasuth
A group of prominent Nigerians under the aegis of 60 Plus Advocacy Initiative which is a non-profit non-religious, non-partisan and non-governmental organisation working in partnership with some local and international bodies to advocate for social justice and quality living for the elderly in Nigeria on Thursday, 7th October 2021 celebrated the International Day of Older Persons at the MRC hall of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) by donating Two Shuttle Tricycles to the Geniatric Unit.
The move, designed to ameliorate the intra-community mobility plight of the older persons in the LASUTH community, is one of the many ways that the three and half year-old Advocacy initiative seeks to support the elderly in the society.
- Published in Event 2021
60Plus Advocacy Initiative partners the LASHMA, for an affordable and efficient service delivery across the state.
As part of effort to give succour to the elderly particularly in the area of access to qualitative health care in Lagos State, a Non Governmental Organization, 60Plus Advocacy Initiative has partnered the Lagos State Health Management Agency LASHMA, for an affordable and efficient service delivery across the state.
The sensitization called Ilera Eko Project for the elderly’ was a gathering of older men and women in their sixties and above took place at Surulere.
Chairman of the NGO Governing Council, Mr. Adeyinka Obalade, said the plight of the elderly, especially the less privileged necessitated the partnership aimed at raising awareness about health insurance under the “Ilera Eko Project”.
In a chat with newsmen, Mr. Adeyinka Obalade, who said the 60Plus Advocacy Initiative was to ease the burdens of some of the senior citizens explained that the NGO would be sponsoring about fifty indigent senior citizens by enrolling them in the State Insurance scheme, thereby enabling them to access free health care in any hospital of their choice for the next two years.
“We also will monitor how they are getting service for whatever we have paid, but we will continue to sponsor and also mobilize people to sponsor but out target is not their families but our target is the senior citizens so we can alleviate their situation”
On her part, LASHMA General Manager, Dr. Emmanuella Zamba who was represented by the sales manager, Mrs. Uchechukwu Igweonyia stated that Ilera Eko was unveiled to market health insurance to residents.
She commended 60Plus Advocacy Initiative for the partnership which she said would further give senior citizens in Lagos access to quality health care regardless of their financial status .
“Lagos State Health Insurance plan is for everybody in Lagos, but we have noticed that for the time being they have neglected people in these age and we have partnered with 60plus Initiative to ensure they get quality health insurance for them. That you are of this age does not mean you don’t have access to the society again, we are here telling them we are here to cover you and that is whole purpose why this health insurance is set up”
Some of the beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the NGO for bringing the initiative to their doorsteps and appealed to other NGOs and philanthropic individuals to partner with LASHMA to enable more senior citizens in Lagos to key into the health insurance scheme.
The elders were informed on how to register with and access quality health care under the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme.
- Published in Event 2021