It was indeed a time well spent with Amb Dr George Andreas Adikibe – Executive Director of Geriatric Care and Vulnerable Support Initiative as Arise Africa Magazine team lead by Mr Ikechukwu Anyanwu paid him a courtesy visit to have further insight of the organizations activities in Nigeria and Imo State in particular.
Geriatric Care and Vulnerable Support Initiative takes researched based health information, healthcare services plus socioeconomic support program to the door steps of the ageing and vulnerable population (pregnant women and children under five) in communities among low income families in Nigeria and Africa.
The VISION
GCVSI envisages a society of equal rights for all age groups hence eradication of all forms of marginalization and discrimination against older and Vulnerable population (pregnant women and children under five) through multi-level stakeholders engagements, multisectoral and interdisciplinary integration of policy frameworks, capacity building training for workplace and coordinated advocacy geared towards changing the narration
ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT Of GCVSI
GCVSI is not profit, charitable and nongovernmental organization established in May 2016 and formally registered in October with Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja Nigeria.
GCVSI are boot on ground United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Ageing (UNOEWGA) accredited and United Nations Economic and Social Affairs Commission (ECOSO). A member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons (GAROP) worldwide, member of Stakeholder Group on Ageing (SGA) Africa, a regional accountability mechanism on Sustainable Developmental Goals (SDGs) on Ageing affiliated to African Union (AU), member of Africa Palliative Care Association, member of West Africa Institute of Ageing Research, member Institute for Humanitarian Studies and Social Development (IHSD), member Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria (COSROPIN) South East Coordinator , member Association of Care Service Providers in Nigeria
The management arrangement module of GCVSI is guided by two inter-linked principles of ensuring timely and efficient delivery of services, inclusion and full participation of all Stakeholders.
The organization has Board of Trustee members (BTM) and members of Advisory Council (MAC) whom the Executive Director reports to. The BTM and MAC members have considerable experience in a range if fields , including ageing development, healthcare, public health research, administration, management, academia, business and community development with no fewer than 10 years of professional experiences each. The organization has highly trained gerontologist and geriatrician consulting for her as well as consultants in different careers who have attained a considerable height in other disciplines as well. GCVSI has line up partnerships signed with both foreign and local entities. They have undertaken social support programs projects geared towards achieving the organizations objectives in the field of Ageing, orphans and Vulnerable interventions, maternal and child mortality control.
Activities
-During IMO August Meeting older women were carried along facilitated by GCVSI in partnership with office of the first Lady Imo State.
The organization conducted advocacy to the Ministry of Gender and Vulnerable Group Affairs berely 5 months ago which has given rise to the 1st Annual conference on Ageing ever organized in Imo State and Nigeria. Conducted medical and social services for over 600 beneficiaries in Njaba LGA, 400 older persons in Izumbe Oguta were also treated, 250 children too during their Polio vaccination support program while at Ofekatta III community Awo-Omanna in Our East we touched more than 1000 lives
Membership of Geriatric Care and Vulnerable Support Initiative is open to interested individuals who share the vision and goals of the organization