Don Tasks Govt On Prompt Payment of Pension, Gratuities

A Professor of Human Nutrition at the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), in Ogun State, Ibiyemi Olayiwola, has charged government at all levels to ensure prompt payment of pensions and gratuities of retirees, so as to enable them to achieve a good and appropriate nutritional status in the evening of their days on earth.

The don gave the charge while delivering the 82nd Inaugural Lecture of the university titled '"Nutrition in the Evening", held at the Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building on the institution main campus at Alabata 

According to her, there is the need for operative care for the elderly, which will necessitate a multi-dimensional approach and integrating active collaboration of stakeholders, including health care providers, social welfare workers, policy makers, politicians, rural and urban development agencies, members of the community and the legal sector for adequate nutrition in the evening. 

She stressed that nutrition in the evening should involve a strong political commitment to drive the effective implementation of policy at the grass root level, adding that enhancement in the health knowledge of the elderly about possible risk factors, and social measures, where children willingly take the responsibility of looking after their aged parents should be encouraged. 

The don, who is of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Food Science and Human Ecology (COLFHEC), noted that a supervisory mechanism that would guarantee the community and family look after their elderly parents should be put in place, calling for an advancement of a healthy insurance scheme to cover their health care needs, feeding and overall nutritional status. 

The Professor of Human Nutrition, however, reiterated that there should be an awareness on recognition of early signs and symptoms of common geriatric problems, noting that there should be training and retraining of medical and paramedical staff to effectively understand the special health needs of the elderly, saying considering the effect of environmental health on the nutritional status of the elderly, special attention should be paid to environmental problems such as pollution and sanitary houses.