The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), the state health insurance agency, Dr. Vetty Rolegherighan Agala has reiterated that the Nigeria government gives priority to the health of the elderly through the various legislations to cater to the health needs of the elderly.
Dr. Agala, who made the emphasis on a live online radio programme on Tuesday, 7th October, 2025, on Grace Impact Radio in commemoration of the National Day for the elderly, which is usually celebrated on every 5th of October, argued that it is because of the importance the government places on the health of the elderly in the country that made the government to place the elderly among those to enjoy free but quality healthcare services under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund which is operational in all the states of the Federation.
The RIVCHPP Executive Secretary noted the role of the Nigeria government by extension Rivers State Government in the implementation of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund that provides financial risk protection for the elderly as vulnerable population.
Dr. Agala pointed out in response to Mazi’s call for meaningful engagement of strong and active older persons, that in Rivers State, active retirees, especially health care providers, have been engaged to continue to work, bring their experience to teams and to keep them meaningfully engaged.
RIVCHPP’s Executive Secretary admonished everyone to plan towards old age and adopt a preventive health lifestyle and to ensure they get insurance coverage to cater to dealing with the incidences of diseases during their old age.
Dr. Agala said that it is worthy of note to announce that of the already enrolled 110,000 and above persons in Rivers State, about 30% of them are over 60 years of age, urging that the National policy on aging be fully implemented with the provision of funding for homes which are currently driven by religious organisations and non-governmental organisations.
Contributing on the radio programme, a gerontologist, social worker, and behavioural scientist based in Ebonyi State, Mazi Otti Nwaka, advocated for attitudinal change among Nigerians, encouraging the establishment and utilisation of nursing homes for the elderly.
Mazi Nwaka, who gave insights into the challenges of the elderly globally, said that due to holding on to traditional beliefs and ways of living, most elderly people find it difficult to leave their ancestral to live in nursing homes, even when they are not getting the proper care needed in old age at the buildings they see as their own.
The behavioural scientist reiterated that, especially in Nigeria, most elderly persons are prone to hypertension, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, among others, enjoining everyone, especially the government at the different tiers, to give special attention to the health of the elderly by providing a nursing home, with the right calibre of professional care givers as is done in other climes.
As part of the commemoration of the National Day for the Older Persons, Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme’s Dr. Juliet Aleme was at the Care of Elderly People’s Unit of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, for the event.
