Health and social policy experts are warning that Ghana may be woefully unprepared for a rapidly growing elderly population unless decisive legislative action is taken soon.
At the 25th Annual Public Lecture of the Ghana Medical Association (GMA) held in Sunyani, Professor Joseph Osafo, Director of the Centre for Ageing Studies at the University of Ghana, called for the immediate passage of the long-delayed Ghana Ageing Bill. His remarks came against a backdrop of rising concerns over the country’s ability to care for an increasingly ageing population.
“The bill is no longer optional—it is urgent,” Prof. Osafo stated. “With our life expectancy now over 64 years and projected to hit 70 by 2050, the population of older adults is ballooning. We need legal and policy frameworks to secure their health, pensions, and social protection.”
According to the 2021 Population and Housing Census, Ghana’s elderly population is expected to reach six million within 25 years. However, stakeholders fear that current social infrastructure, healthcare systems, and welfare programs are ill-equipped to support this demographic shift.
While Prof. Osafo praised the government’s efforts to set up the Ageing Desk and the National Committee on Ageing, he stressed that without the legislative teeth provided by the Ageing Bill, these initiatives risk becoming symbolic rather than transformational.
The GMA President, Dr. Frank Serebour, echoed these concerns, noting that Ghana’s healthcare system lacks specific provisions for age-related illnesses. “We see older people struggling with hypertension, arthritis, vision loss, and diabetes, yet healthcare policy barely accounts for their unique needs,” he said. He advocated for geriatric-focused training and infrastructure within the health sector.
The conversation extended beyond the professional sphere to everyday experiences. In the Sunyani market, Madam Diana Dankwah, a cassava vendor and local market leader, issued a heartfelt plea for free medical care for all citizens aged 60 and above. “They’ve worked their whole lives. It’s time the country took care of them,” she said.
As experts, policymakers, and citizens align in their calls for urgent action, the spotlight is now on Parliament to act decisively. Without the passage of the Ghana Ageing Bill, the country risks a looming crisis in elderly care—a crisis that could strain both the health system and the nation’s social fabric.
