NSCC AND MRTB PARTNER ON CAREGIVING FOR GERIATRIC POPULATION
Oru Leonard
The National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) is to partner with the Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria (MRTB), in the transformations in accessible, appropriate and quality social care services provision to the Geriatric Population, wherever they may live in Nigeria pioneered by NSCC.
This came to fore when the Registrar and CEO of MRTB, Professor Rufai Yusuf Ahmad, came on a courtesy visit to the Director General of the National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro at NSCC Head Office in Abuja to seek partnership on actionable and implementable plan of activities with the National Senior Citizens Centre for Senior Citizens in Nigeria.
Director General of NSCC, Dr Emem Omokaro, said a partnership with MTRB will be added impetus with existing NSCC partners such as the Federal Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Development Agency, Geriatrics Association of Nigeria, Gerontology Association of Nigeria, Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Social Work Locators, Association of Social Works of Nigeria among other expert groups to develop professional standards for long-term care system on geriatric social care in Nigeria.
She said Nigeria is now in that place where care-giving has been identified and recognized as a key factor and this is made possible through collaboration with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
The National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) is now the sole regulator and supervisor of all Geriatric Social Care Services provision in Nigeria. Under the National Skills Qualification Framework, NSCC is the only recognized Awarding Body to formally recognize, classify and develop competencies and skills training in the Geriatric Social Care Services in Nigeria. NSCC also is empowered by the National Senior Citizens Centre Act to recognize and approve training providers under the scheme.
Omokaro said, NSCC after due diligence with the National Board for Technical Education and consultations with relevant professional organizations in the public and private sectors will now accredit care agencies with a standard model to employ trained and certified caregivers under the purview of accredited care agencies who can work in any hospitals and homes as certified caregivers.
DG NSCC, highlighted flagship programs by the Centre including the One Community, One Senior Centre, a public-private-partnership initiative open to stakeholders at all levels, including politicians and philanthropies, Faith Based and Community Based Organizations who are interested in building, equipping, operating the centre.
She informed that the One Community, One Senior Centre building prototype, and other initiatives can be viewed at the NSCC website: www.nscc.gov.ng.
The Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Registration Board of Nigeria regulates Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Prosthetics and Orthotics, Chiropractic and Osteopathic Medicine in Nigeria.
(NSCC Media)
