In line with the delayed celebration this Tuesday, July 2, 2024 of the International Day of Violence and Abuse of the Elderly, the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (CNGG) of Melen, raised awareness on the theme: “violence and abuse of the elderly”, a phenomenon which is taking on worrying proportions in Gabon.
The target audience for this awareness campaign was caregivers, who are in particular family members (children, grandchildren, etc.) of the elderly person. These caregivers must have patience and tact to gradually accompany the elderly person towards peaceful aging.
“We have noticed that the elderly people we receive for consultations are victims of several ailments that aggravate their situation of old age, particularly on a psychological, financial and social level. They are mistreated at the level of their families firstly in relation to their state of handicap because not all of them have the possibility of coming to the centre to be consulted, so they are in their homes, isolated”indicated Chantal Ovone Betoe, Director of Geriatrics at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology in Melen.
The United Nations believes that the elderly are in a situation of emergency in the world and that action is needed. This year in Gabon, the presentations were held at the town hall of 5th district of Libreville to educate the audience on the urgent need to return to true values which have always solidified African society in general and Gabonese society in particular.
For Chantal Ovone Betoe, “let’s reclaim our ancestral values, we live in families, in communities. The system of residential establishments for dependent elderly people (EHPAD) is not necessarily the solution for the elderly person, it is a way of isolating them and not of taking them into the family environment where they need their family to age well.”
In place of the Minister of Health, Pr Andrien Mougougou who was unable to attend, the Regional Director of Health for the West Estuary, Dr Catherine Ondo Eyene opened this awareness caravan which will continue in several towns in the province before reaching the hinterland.
Camille Boussoughou
2024-07-02 15:58:54
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