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Elderly People in Africa Set to Increase
SABC News
Africa
October 7, 2004
The population of the aged in Africa is set to increase dramatically in the coming years despite the Aids epidemic. This is according to Ralph Kirsch, the head of the department of medicine at the University of Cape Town. Kirsch was speaking at the opening of the university's Institute of Ageing in Africa last night.
Kirsch said the elders constitute between 10% and 20% of the South African population. About the same number of the young is infected with HIV. Despite the devastation of the virus, however, Kirsch says projections are of a significant growth percentage of the population of the elderly every year.
The institute deals with medical treatment and psychology for the elderly. The institute says it aims to be a focal point for the development of services, training and research for Africa's geriatric needs in the 21st century.
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