The Elders forum of the Chief Tony Anenih Geriatric Centre, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has called for improved healthcare access, stronger social support systems and greater inclusion of older persons in policymaking to promote healthy ageing and improve their quality of life.
The call was made during the 2026 International Day of Older Persons celebration, organised to recognise senior citizens’ contributions and highlight the challenges facing Nigeria’s ageing population.
Speaking at the event, Founder-Director of the Centre, Dr Lawrence Adebusuyi, said the programme provided an opportunity for older persons to celebrate themselves while promoting their health and social well-being.
He explained that although the United Nations observes October 1 annually as the International Day of Older Persons, the Centre chose a convenient date to commemorate the occasion with Forum members.
Adebusuyi identified limited healthcare access and social isolation as major challenges confronting older persons, particularly those whose children live abroad or in other cities.
He cited complaints about delays in obtaining access codes under the National Health Insurance Scheme, saying some elderly persons reportedly wait more than three months after payment before receiving the codes needed to access healthcare.
He stressed that such delays must be addressed to ensure timely medical attention for older persons.
On social isolation, Adebusuyi said the Forum provided a support network where members could interact, exercise and celebrate important milestones.
“Many of their children have travelled abroad, while those who remain in Nigeria have moved to other cities, leaving their parents practically alone. The Geriatric Centre is not just about diseases, healthcare and related issues; it is also about social welfare. This Forum serves as the social hub of the Chief Tony Geriatric Centre,” he said.
Also speaking, the director of the Centre, Dr Mofoluwake Majekodunmi, described the Forum as a leading platform for social engagement among older persons in Africa.
She said its activities, including interactive sessions and excursions, had helped members build relationships and improve their physical and mental well-being.
Majekodunmi said the Forum hoped to extend its reach beyond Ibadan by providing older persons across Nigeria with opportunities to voice their concerns and engage government officials and policymakers on issues affecting their welfare.
She added that its executives worked with the Centre to engage government institutions and advocate policies that would improve elderly care.
In a lecture titled “The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives,” Dr Eniola Cadmus of the Department of Community Medicine, University of Ibadan, highlighted the growing population of older persons in Nigeria.
Cadmus estimated that between 8.2 million and nine million Nigerians were aged 60 and above, projecting that the figure could rise to 25 million by 2050.
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She expressed concern that only about three per cent of older persons had access to formal pensions, leaving many vulnerable to financial hardships in retirement.
She urged older persons to adopt healthier lifestyles by eating more vegetables, exercising regularly and attending routine medical check-ups.
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