Abuja: Silver-Cross Hospitals and Foundation, Abuja, has conducted another round of free medical screening at the Arts and Culture Complex, Area 10, Abuja, to commemorate the 2025 World Alzheimer’s Day. The exercise, which featured the donation of special drugs to 200 elderly residents of the area, was carried out in partnership with NaidCARE, an NGO. Other partners included the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN).
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dr. Patrick Ezie, Chief Executive Officer of Silver-Cross Hospitals and Foundation, stated that the initiative was part of the hospital’s contribution to strengthening healthcare delivery and promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He mentioned that the hospital aims to build healthier communities by reaching out to people, especially in underserved areas. Ezie emphasized that Silver-Cross Hospitals focuses on meeting people’s needs where they are and highlighted the hospital’s efforts to provide care, educate about health challenges, and support individuals with palliatives to reduce their burden.
Ezie noted that Alzheimer’s disease is not well known in Nigeria due to low awareness. He explained that it is a degenerative brain condition that affects memory and behavior, often causing elderly people to act abnormally. Such behaviors are frequently misinterpreted and attributed to witchcraft or spiritual causes, leading to stigmatization. He appealed to the public to show more care and compassion to the elderly affected by Alzheimer’s.
Sen. Eze Ajoku, National Coordinator of COSROPIN, also appealed for the creation of special care units for the elderly where they could receive counseling and preferential treatment. He urged both government and private stakeholders to intensify advocacy programs to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and promote care for older persons.
Similarly, Dr. Olubanjo Akerele, Consultant Family Physician and Medical Team Lead of NaidCARE, expressed satisfaction with the turnout and services provided during the event. He emphasized the need for society to avoid stigmatization of the elderly, adding that care and respect for older persons remain a shared responsibility.
The exercise, which combined medical checks with sensitization, also featured distribution of health information materials and interactive sessions with the elderly and their caregivers. NAN reports that World Alzheimer’s Day is marked annually on Sept. 21 to raise awareness about the disease and to challenge stigma associated with dementia-related conditions.