FACTORS CONFRONTING OLDER PEOPLE IN ACCESSING FREE HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Global projections indicate that the population of those aged 60 years and above is
increasing rapidly. United Nations projections (UN) indicate that, in 1950 the number
of older people was 200 million, representing only 8% of the total world population. In
2002 the old population increased to about 630 million. Projections further suggest that,
the number of older people aged above 60 years will shoot to 1.2 billion in 2025 and 2
billion in 2050, (UN 2005, UN Population Division, 2008; 2010).
According to the United Nations (2012), Africa currently holds 42 million older people,
representing 5% of the world’s population. Eight percent (8%) of these are over 80
years. By 2050, the projections indicate that older people in Africa will be 205 million
(WHO, 2012). This is a tremendous increase in the number of older people which needs
proper plans in order to address their varied needs including access to free health care
service. International communities such as UN and African Union (AU) have
recognized the importance of free health care service to older people. Since then, the United Nations set a milestone which gave birth to the International Plan of Action on ageing emanating from the Second UN World Assembly on Ageing in Madrid 2002.
Through this document a policy framework coupled with concrete recommendations to
adequately address the forthcoming demographic and structural developments was
designed. However, it has to be noted that older people are not explicitly mentioned in
some global policies like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Yet the link
between health care service and the achievement of the MDGs is evident since the key
objective of health care service is to reduce the vulnerability of the poor (Devereux &
Sabates-Wheeler 2004; Schubert & Beales 2006).
Statement of the Problem
Older persons play a key role in contributing to the social and economic fabric of the
family. They are care takers of orphans and mediators of conflicts in the community.
For instance, over 50 per cent of Nigeria two million Orphans and Vulnerable
Children depend on older people to meet their food, health and educational needs.
(Aboderin and Isabella, 2005). More important, older peoples’ contribution is felt most
keenly at the community and the national level. For example, Mkapa (2004) asserts that
older people have toiled for this nation and must be brought from the margins into the
mainstream of the economy. They also once contributed to national economy.
purpose of the Study[
The study aims at assessing factors confronting older people in accessing free health
service in public hospitals
1.4:1. Specific Objectives
ii). To examine ability of older people living in Gbangbalada in accessing health care services in public hospitals.
ii). To find out challenges and constraints limiting older people from accessing free health care services.
iii). To assesses measures employed by public hospital management for easing health services to older people and propose the way forward.
How to get complete project materials
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NAME: JOLLERTEX GLOBAL SERVICES
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