By Rachel Kogi, CSN Media
As the universal Church celebrates World Day of the Sick, the Episcopal Chairman, Health Committee of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Mamza has called for more responsive care for the sick and elderly in the Church and society. Bishop Mamza who was represented by the Director of Church and Society, CSN, Very Rev. Fr. Uche Obodoechina, made this call on Friday, February 11, 2022 as the Health Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) joined the rest of the world to celebrate the 30th World Day of the Sick at the CSN in Abuja.Presenting the Holy Father’s message for the event, the Prelate noted that “thirty years ago, Saint John Paul II instituted the World Day of the Sick to encourage the people of God, Catholic health institutions and civil society to be increasingly attentive to the sick and to those who care for them.”He explained that the theme for 2022, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful”, makes us first turn our gaze towards God, who is “rich in mercy” and always watches over his children with a father’s love, even when they turn away from him.Fr. Obodoechina further linked the Holy Father’s 2022 theme to the current realities of massive insecurity, poverty and lack of trust between the people and government in Nigeria and stressed on the need for sympathy, mercy, understanding, collaboration and solidarity with one another. “Be more responsive to the needs of the sick and elderly, so that the sick will experience recovery and the elderly can age gracefully”, he said.Corroborating the need for sympathy and mercy towards one another, the Secretary of the CBCN Health Committee, Dr. Emmanuel Okechukwu, observed that the elderly in Nigeria are doubly jeopardised. “They are faced with issues of poverty, remote removal from city centres where social amenities are available, neglect and abandonment.” He therefore called for mercy upon them from the Church, her institutions and all citizens, in alignment with the theme of the 30th World Day of the Sick.The event further accommodated a presentation on “Challenges and prospects of mainstreaming care of the elderly in Catholic institutions” by a Consultant Geriatrician of National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. (Mrs.) Ogugua Osi-Ogbu.Dr. Ogugua identified gaps in health systems, inadequate healthcare workforce, lack of understanding of ageism, among others as the challenges in mainstreaming care of the elderly in Catholic institutions. She however noted that the Church institutions have structures and facilities in communities in rural areas, as well as workforce that can be easily upskilled to provide improved care for the elderly.The Geriatrician proffered four areas that Catholic institutions can mainstream care of the elderly to include; upgrading health systems to meet the health rights of old people by ensuring acceptability, affordability and good quality; providing the right structures for old people to engage in the communities by making the institutions age friendly; delivering person-centred integrated care and primary healthcare services, and finally, providing access to long-term care for older people who need it.The Doctor further encouraged everyone who is 60 years and above to take advantage of the partnership between the National Senior Citizens Centre and National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) by enrolling with NIMC. This would give them access to a special ID card so as to access the special programmes being developed by the government for them.Dr. Ogugua concluded that the Catholic Church can provide health promoting activities for the elderly at the Parish level, like health talks, dieting and nutrition, exercising, spirituality, while also teaching everyone in the Church to adopt the culture of caring for the elderly. This can be done by reserving seats for the old and those living with disability, preaching aged-friendliness and provision of housing and transport services.The 2022 celebration by the CSN Health Department will culminate with a Holy Mass at Daughters of Charity Hospital, Kubwa on Sunday, February 13, followed by distribution of palliatives to inpatients.
