Management of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, has stated that it’s prepared to commence the process of giving free treatment to aged people if it has the backing of the government to do so.
The management made the statement through Dr. Owie Osaretin, Head of Clinical Services, while receiving a delegation of members of the Elderly Persons Association of Nigeria(EPAN) who came on an advocacy visit to the facility.Â
Receiving the delegation on behalf of the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Hospital, Dr. Imafidon Agbonile, who is on live, Dr. Osaretin said that the hospital management is in sync with the course of the visit which is advocacy for giving attention to the aged and offering them free treatment.
He said that the idea of offering free treatment to the aged is a policy that can be initiated only by the federal and state governments.
On the appeal by the elderly that they should be given special attention and that special units be created to cater for some of their health challenges , Dr. Osaretin said that the hospital may not be able to do that as it’s short of staff.
He sought the financial support of the elderly to help cushion some financial shortcomings it is experiencing. He explained to them that donations to the Friends of Uselu Clinic Club is the instrument which the facility uses to get financial support to cater for its needs.
Earlier, Chief Eddy Ogbomo, the National Publicity Secretary of the EPAN, who led the delegation on the visit, told the hospital management that the association is fully registered and has been in existence since 2005.
He stressed that the visit was an advocacy to call for attention to the health challenges faced by the aged and to seek for a policy to give them free treatment. He also appealed that some units should be created to address health issues.
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