The Ghana Health Service and Partners, today, joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day of older persons. The celebration took place at the Great Hall of the university of Ghana. The commemoration saw participants from the university of Ghana Centre for Ageing Studies which hosted the event, partners, agencies and older persons from various institutions. In his speech read on behalf of the Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Kofi Issah, the Director of the Family Health Division stated that the Ghana Health Service previously did not have a programme that sought the welfare of the older persons in society until two years ago, when a programme was set up under the Family Health Division of the Service called a Healthy Aging Programme (HAP). The programme which will soon become one of the Departments within the Service is mandated to coordinate all activities for the older persons in the country. ‘’The programme is leading with the development of policies and guidelines to help take care of our older citizens because in caring for the aged, one has to follow certain protocols and guidelines’’ according to Dr Kofi Issah.
Specialists are also being trained to serve as trainers to other health workers who will be providing care for the aged. The community health nurses training school also have it in their curriculum on how to take care of the aged. All these are being synchronized and integrated, hence the need for guidelines whiles structures are also being put in place to provide quality care for the aged.
He encouraged young people to take care of themselves in their younger years so that by the time they are old, they would be in good health. He encouraged other partners to come on board as we all seek the interest of the care of the aged.
The International Day of Older Persons is an occasion to highlight the important contributions that older people make to society and raise awareness of the issues and challenges of ageing in today’s world.” Resolution 45/106, passed by the United Nations General Assembly on 14th December 1990, declared 1st October to be the International Day of Older Persons. This year’s theme is Resilience Of Older Persons In A Changing World.
