Ageing populations
The Aged Family Uganda (TAFU) 2008 case study of the older persons of Uganda
Lack of a formal policy on ageing is harming the elderly in Uganda
Authors:
F. Nyanzi
Publisher:
The Aged Family Uganda, 2008
There are over a million older persons in Uganda, many of whom lack food, money, clean water and medical support and have lost their children to war and HIV and AIDS. This paper, based on a survey of older persons and a follow up conference which analysed the results, collates the major issues facing many older persons in Uganda, the policy response so far and outlines priorities for action in the future.
Many older persons in Uganda are living in absolute chronic poverty as a result of the following:
- ill health: hypertension, cancer, cataracts and other visual problems, hearing impairments, arthritis, dementia, breathing problems, orthopedic problems, stroke and other age related diseases
- HIV and AIDS: The pandemic which has led to the huge creation of orphaned grand children placing the burden to older persons, especially grand mothers
- poor access to services and utilities: water and sanitation are inaccessible, particularly in rural areas, and costly in urban areas. Many older persons do not visit health centres, due to long travel, poor mobility and lack of geriatric expertise and negative attitudes towards older persons
- poor hygiene standards: due to isolation, neglect and lack of support services, older persons often suffer from lice, jiggers, flies, bed bugs and have diarrhea
- limited income support: the social pension is limited to only those who have worked in the Government sector. However, older persons organisations have noted that accessing the pension can be difficult or unpredictable, even for eligible older persons
- lack of political representation
- elder abuse: older persons are often abused. There are frequent media reports in local newspapers in Uganda of older persons as victims of rape, or of having their land and property grabbed, as well as accusations and punishment for practicing witchcraft
The author argues that It is now the challenge of older persons organisations in Uganda to monitor the Government and international organisations in their implementation of actions agreed for the 2015 deadline of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing.
As a result of the survey conducted for this report, the following ways were identified as necessary to support older persons in Uganda:
- put in place and implement Government policy for the older persons
- include older persons in the planning, designing and implementation of development programmes that impact on older persons
- lobby International organisations and the Government to introduce specific programmes to support the older persons and their orphaned grand children
- introduce HIV and AIDS education and testing programmes for older persons since the older persons are carers and are sexually active
- set up income protection such as increasing the National Social Security Fund, social pension, cash transfers, and credit facilities to older persons
- support communities and older persons organisations to care for isolated older persons and introduce Geriatric Medicine into hospitals and health centres of Uganda
- revise the Educational Curriculum so that people may develop the concept of ageing at an early stage and start saving for their old age, and empower the older persons for independence so they can retain their dignity
- establish a National Council on Ageing
