Dementia comes with age, support the aged - Dr. Nadia Adongo Fynn

The Deputy Director for Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President, Dr. Nadia Adongo Fynn, has called on society to support persons with Dementia.

Dr. Nadia Adongo Fynn, who is the founder of the Ntuune Pogyua Foundation, lamented that persons with the condition have been misunderstood on social, with some being tagged badly.

"Some speak a certain language because they have gone over 80 and 90 years. They are seen as witches and wizards, but it is because it comes with age. We have people who are abandoned in homes because their families think they are the ones bringing curses to their families," she explained.

She added that her foundation intends to create awareness of the condition.

Dr. Nadia made these revelations at a programne she organized for the aged at the Gambibgo Health Center in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region.

The purpose of the programme was to conduct a free health screening exercise for the aged, register them under the NHIS, and renew for those with expired cards.

Dr. Nadia noted that when they initially launched the program, they had just 100 clients. She however noted that the number has currently increased to 500.

They had volunteers from the Gambibgo clinic and party coordinators who organized the beneficiaries.

The programme drew the aged all over the community, as they came to enjoy the benevolence of the philanthropist The venue was fully packed.

The foundation was launched by Dr. Nadia in Gambibgo in December 2018. It was born out of her desire to emulate her late father, whom she described as generous.

She pointed out that, she was a woman of the people who considered the problems of others as her own, and always stepped in to intervene.

A gesture, which earned her the nickname 'Ntuune'( My duty)

She pointed out that her foundation was born out of her love for catering for the aged.

She also pointed out that she helped take care of her late father who had Dementia at a point and later passed on at age 105.

She added that her passion for taking care of the aged propelled her to study Gerontology in Canada.

It is the hope of Dr. Nadia Adongo Fynn to use the knowledge she acquired to have a huge impact on her foundation.

Touching on the success of the program since its inception, she noted that they have been able to detect people who had Diabetes but were unaware.

She added that such persons were quickly put on medication. She again added that checks on them showed a massive improvement.

"We have been able to detect people who had Diabetes but didn't know, through the screening, they were diagnosed and put on medication. They are much better," she said.

A physician assistant, Mr. John Yelkoang, stated that they were checking for conditions like Diabetes, Hepatitis B, Malaria, and BP.

He noted that at the end of the exercise, none tested positive for Hepatitis B or Diabetes.

Mr. Yelkoang pointed out that the exercise was a worthy course.

He therefore called on the Ghana Health Service and its partners to invest in the aged so that they can give them befitting and effective healthcare in the country.

The two-day programme ended with a party for the aged, where they ate to their satisfaction, and went home happily with some gifts from the philanthropist.