Former Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, has called on the federal government to adopt geriatric outreach programmes to elevate the health status of the citizens.
Okezie Ikpeazu made the call on Wednesday in his health series write-up on how to address health issues facing the nation.
He said geriatric outreach programme, which involve incentivizing local health professionals to conduct health assessments, provide education and offer solutions to elderly, have proven to be game changer in addressing public health.
Ikpeazu said geriatric not only addresses immediate health challenges it also equips citizens with enough health education to maintain their health.
“There are effective ways to elevate public health status in our country, one of which is through targeted geriatric outreach programs. These initiatives involve incentivizing local healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, to conduct health assessments, provide education, and offer solutions to elderly residents in underserved areas.
“This approach not only addresses immediate health concerns but also empowers individuals with the knowledge to maintain their health proactively,” he said.
The former governor said his administration was able to achieve milestones in health during the geriatric programme.
He said health literacy was provided to the elderly and access to health care was made available to citizens.
Ikpeazu said, “During my tenure as governor of Abia State, we successfully implemented a geriatric outreach program. This initiative was meticulously supervised and involved empowering local nurses to meet and educate older adults on health priorities.
“Our team focused on critical areas such as the importance of regular health check-ups, medication management, and tracking recovery progress. This program significantly improved health literacy and access to care among the elderly population, demonstrating that geriatric education is vital for public health improvement.”
He said to reach remote areas and underserved regions in the country community-focused health intervention must be adopted.
He added that the federal government and other state governments can address health disparities and ensure all residents get healthcare through the geriatric programme.
“Our success in Abia State underscores the importance of community-focused health interventions. By integrating these practices, we can address health disparities and ensure that all residents, particularly those in remote or underserved regions, have access to essential health services and information,” Ikpeazu said.
