Show empathy to the elderly, NOA urges Nigerians

…Agency leads Alzheimer’s consciousness run successful Abuja

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The National Orientation Agency, NOA, has appealed to Nigerians to amusement greater empathy and compassion toward aged persons surviving with dementia, arsenic activities marking the 2025 World Alzheimer’s Day commenced successful the Federal Capital Teritory, FCT.

In concern with NAIDCARE, the FCT Social Development Secretariat, and respective NGOs, the Agency connected Monday led an consciousness roadworthy locomotion done large Abuja streets to gully attraction to Alzheimer’s illness and combat stigma associated with dementia.

The programme besides featured interactive committee games with aged participants, alongside escaped wellness screenings specified arsenic humor unit checks, oculus tests, and humor sweetener monitoring.

Speaking astatine the lawsuit held astatine the AMAC Secretariat, NOA Director-General, Mallam Lanre Isa Onilu, represented by the Director of Health and Social Care, Dr. Ayoola Abiodun Olufemi, reaffirmed the Agency’s committedness to nationwide sensitisation connected Alzheimer’s and dementia. He lamented that galore aged Nigerians exhibiting dementia symptoms are inactive wrongly stigmatised oregon accused of witchcraft.

“Alzheimer’s is not a curse, it is not witchcraft; it is simply a aesculapian information that affects the brain. Our work arsenic families and arsenic a nine is to amusement patience, love, and care. They cared for america yesterday — today, we indispensable attraction for them,” Onilu said.

Representatives of participating NGOs called for the constitution of much representation clinics, improved caregiver support, and the integration of dementia attraction into Nigeria’s wellness security scheme.

NOA officials distributed sensitisation materials during the lawsuit and pledged to activate its authorities and section authorities offices to widen the run to agrarian communities, wherever misconceptions stay astir widespread.

In his closing remarks, Onilu linked the run to the National Values Charter, which upholds work of care, respect for elders, and extortion of the susceptible arsenic cardinal tenets of liable citizenship.

“What we are doing contiguous goes beyond wellness awareness. It is astir reminding Nigerians that caring for our elders is not optional — it is simply a nationalist value, a work of care, and a people of the nine we privation to build,” helium added.

World Alzheimer’s Day, observed globally each September 21, seeks to rise consciousness astir dementia, enactment affected families, and beforehand improved aged care.

The station Show empathy to the elderly, NOA urges Nigerians appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.