The aged losing out in a fast eroding extended family system

Cape Coast, June 6, GNA- Mr Barton Odro, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast, on Saturday said the fast eroding extended family system in Ghana was negatively affecting the welfare of the aged.

He said due to the phenomenon, many families had developed unconcerned attitudes towards the aged who needed the care, love and support of their immediate family and the society at large.

Mr Odro was commissioning a clinic for the aged in the Cape Coast Ministries block, which consists of a consulting, counselling, treatment and a store room.

He said the clinic was established with his share of the common fund to provide special and accessible health care to the aged to ease the burden of accessing medical care.

Dr. Joseph Teye Nuertey, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Health Services, said the decision to provide the clinic for the aged was based on a feedback from an outreach programme organized in the metropolis.

He said the 1970-2000 population census indicated that people aged 60 and above were rapidly increasing and therefore the need to place high emphasis on issues relating to their medical care.

Dr Nuertey recounted that aging increases the risk of chronic diseases and its associated disabilities and stated that the onus lies on the health service to provide active services for the aged.

He said the clinic will among other things have a medical assistant, senior nurses, health extension workers and community nurses with the requisite training to manage the aged.

Nana Kweku Duah II, Ninfahene of Offinso who presided, appealed to society to make health care needs of the aged its major priority by providing all the necessary assistance to them and implored the Ghana Health Service to ensure the survival of the facility.

Mr. Anthony Egyir Aikins, Mayor of Cape Coast, commended the efforts of the MP and appealed to the public to patronise the clinic.

GNA