Chijioke Iremeka
Stakeholders have decried the absence of comprehensive policies to address brain health, saying it is an obstacle hindering effective planning, resource mobilisation and allocation of resources for brain health programmes in the country.
They stated this at a virtual event themed, ‘Policy, Aging and Brain Health in Nigeria,’ hosted by the Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Nigeria in collaboration with the Sub-Saharan Africa Brain Health Initiative.
PUNCH Healthwise reports that the event was aimed at reigniting the dialogue and spurring efforts towards the formulation of relevant brain health policies in Nigeria at all levels.
It was noted that despite previous attempts to develop such policies, the desired outcomes remained elusive.
The Co-founder, Sub-Saharan Africa Brain Health Initiative and Chief Executive Officer, TalkHealth9ja, Dr Laz Eze, said bringing together experts, policymakers, researchers and stakeholders for the event was to identify the key challenges, explore innovative solutions, and foster partnerships that can drive policy development and implementation.
Speaking on the need for the policy in her keynote address, the Director General, National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokoro, who thanked the government for setting up the centre to take care of old people, said she is delighted about the programme.
She noted that this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that the government would create a focal centre to identify and cater for the needs of the elderly.
Omokoro said in establishing a policy for brain and mental health in the country, all stakeholders should know that it takes strong will and determination to make it happen even in the face of increasing cases of dementia.
She said, “We must have this in mind that it is a decision for us. Seeking to pursue a policy on this is a decision for us to take. We must know why we want to do it; we must be persuasive and resilient to achieve.
“The policy on ageing is a matter of decision-making, especially as there is a policy on mental health in Nigeria. With the NSCC, the issue of dementia has been identified and of course, its impact on the cognitive impairment is not only on the individuals but also on the families, communities and society at large.
“So, the question we must ask is why policy on brain health should be a priority. Until we are ready to advance an evidence-based argument, gap mapping, and when we are ready to put up a justification in the face of increasing incidence of dementia, then we will not be able to achieve that.
“When it comes to policy-making and resource allocation, we must have it in mind that we have to justify the reason such scarce resources should be allocated to this policy. That means that we have to be pushing beyond boundaries if we must get this done.”
Omokoro noted that the government will consider the need for the immediate concern or importance of such a policy before allocating scarce resources to it.
She noted that in seeking for the development of a national policy on brain, ageing and health, the stakeholders must be strategic, and evidence-based, with gaps mapping to convince the government.
“We must be persuasive and relentless in our advocacy bearing in mind the drivers and enablers. We must know all these. Identify the barriers. And this would come from a policy angle to arouse our thinking.
“We need to get the right information to get this done. This will help the older people to function in the optimal capacity and be in a supportive environment,” she added.
The founder of the Alzheimer’s Disease Foundation and former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Anenih, said there is a need for more people to talk about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
“I am happy about this programme seeking a policy on ageing and brain health in Nigeria because this is what I have been looking forward to. I have suffered from not having a brain health policy and not implementing it.
“We need to do more advocacy because whether we like it or not, we are getting older and there is nothing in place to support the older people. When talking of ageing, the National Senior Citizens Centre is the best thing that has happened to aging and senior citizens in Nigeria.
“There are so many policies but none is talking about dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and taking care of mental health. I experienced it once when I cared for my brother who had dementia in Nigeria and there was nowhere to go, no hospitals that would deal with it.
“There was physical infrastructure and everybody was saying there was no money. There is a need for us to budget for them. Everybody must enjoy their rights. Everybody will get old and just because you have these diseases does not mean you will not enjoy your life.
“I am so happy for this push and have advocacy on this. Some NGOs are doing well in this regard but we need government intervention. We need to have a policy, we need the physical will to do this and convince others to do their jobs.
“The government should ensure that older people in our country live dignified lives and enjoy their lives even if they have dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.”
However, the guest speaker and Chairman, Faculty of Psychiatry, National Postgraduates Medical College, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State, Prof Richard Uwakwe, thanked the organisers and the government for the establishment of the National Senior Citizens Centre in Abuja.
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