Ageing in Africa by Nana Araba Apt

Abstract

It is encouraging to see that a major organization such as the World Health Organization continues to strengthen its capacity to understand the phenomenon of ageing in the developing world, particularly in Africa. Dr Nana Apt prepared the background report, titled Ageing in Africa, for the WHO’s Ageing and Health Programme. Apt is an appropriate person to have written this report: she is a leading researcher on ageing in Africa and an important promotor of African ageing issues - particularly in her capacity and leadership role as the President of the African Gerontological Society (AGES International). The report is composed ofsix parts, as follows: Conceptual considerations; demographic change; the economic context; the social-cultural context; priority areas for action; and suggested policy actions. Apt’s purpose is to examine the ageing experience in Africa, particularly in the African modem environment, which includes changing values, attitudes and behaviour of societies as they experience population ageing and its implications forthe elderly. The modern environment is also contrasted with the traditional experience of African value systems.