Access to health and healthcare among older persons in Uganda

Abstract

In most African countries, the elderly face challenges that affect their health and wellbeing. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the challenges faced by older people in Uganda in accessing healthcare services. The chapter draws on interviews conducted with older persons aged 60 years and above in Uganda. The interviews reveal that older people, especially in the rural areas, have a relatively poor quality of life. Many are struggling with a range of health ailments and not in a position to buy medicine for their treatment, but they also could not rely on the government. Barriers hindering them from accessing healthcare services were the distance to the health facility, health workers’ aloofness and lack of respect, lack of specialised doctors and the lack of essential medicines for older people at health centres. Their coping strategies to healthcare barriers included the use of private clinics, traditional medicine as an alternative, self-medication and spiritual healing.