Nigerian geriatricians practising across Nigeria, the United Kingdom, North America, Australia and other parts of the world have established the Nigeria Global Geriatricians Network (NGGN) to strengthen collaboration and advance healthcare for older persons.
The Network is designed to facilitate professional education, advocacy, research, knowledge exchange and the adoption of global best practices and standards in geriatric care.
According to the NGGN, the initiative is coming at a time Nigeria is preparing for a future characterised by longer life expectancy and changing healthcare needs among older persons.
The Network seeks to strengthen connections between Nigerian geriatricians at home and in the diaspora while creating opportunities for collaboration with the wider global geriatric community.
Speaking on the initiative, Convener of NGGN and Consultant Geriatrician, Founder and Medical Director of JBS Gerontology Centre, Dr. Olutoyin Akande-Ajala, FRCP, said the platform would enable Nigerian geriatricians to play a more active role in shaping the future of care for older persons.
“As Nigeria joins the rest of the world in global conversations and preparations for a future of longer lives, we have an opportunity to do more than observe these developments. We can connect our expertise, learn from one another and contribute meaningfully to the advancement of geriatric care in Nigeria and beyond,” she said.
Akande-Ajala noted that geriatric medicine was inherently collaborative, as the health and wellbeing of older people often require the contributions of multiple medical specialties, healthcare professionals, researchers, caregivers, institutions and policymakers.
She said NGGN would therefore provide a platform for expertise and experience to move beyond individual institutions and professional boundaries.
The Network’s areas of interest include professional education, continuing learning, research, knowledge exchange, multidisciplinary collaboration, innovation, advocacy and policy dialogue, particularly around the future of geriatric medicine and healthy ageing.
Through the initiative, Nigerian geriatricians globally will be able to connect, collaborate and exchange knowledge, while also engaging with healthcare professionals, academics and other stakeholders involved in the care and wellbeing of older persons.
The Network is expected to strengthen the exchange of global best practices and standards while supporting efforts to improve education, advocacy and healthcare outcomes for Nigeria’s ageing population.
