The World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr.
Matshidiso Moeti; has said that coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic;
killed 17,000 senior citizens in Africa.
Moeti raised the alarm in a statement Wednesday to mark 2020
International Day of Older Persons in Maiduguri, the Borno state
capital.
The International Day of Senior Citizens, is an annual celebration of
old people globally; and to take stock of opportunities and challenges
related to ageing population.
According to her, overcoming challenges of ageing, are to ensure
societies accommodate all ages across the globe.
On the import of senior citizens, she said: “Our elders provide us
with love and care, and are a source of wisdom and talent.”
She noted that the old also influence; who we are and who we aspire to
be as the young ones age gracefully.
“We’ve a duty to support older people in realizing their human rights
and living with dignity,” she said.
Dr. Moeti said the theme: “Pandemics: do they change how we address
age and ageing?” was to determine whether older people are also at
higher risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19.
She said in African Region, more than 17 000 account for over 50% of
the COVID-19 deaths in the region.
She said in addressing disproportionate burden of pandemic on older
people, the elders should shielded, including the adoption of
preventive measures of wearing masks.
“We should be keeping a physical distance, and frequently washing our
hands,” she said, adding that continuity of other essential services
for older people is also important.
She said to reduce frequency of visits to health care facilities,
African countries should continue to provide multi-month prescriptions
for people with chronic diseases.
These, according to her; “are to reduce the frequency of visits to
health-care facilities.
Citing countries, such as Mauritius, she said that health workers are
reaching out to older people in their homes, to ensure that services,
like the seasonal flu shot, continue to be delivered.
She also noted of challenges in African region, including lack of
comprehensive long-term care systems, low coverage of social
protection schemes, and inadequate data to shape policy interventions.
