The elderly patients as seen at Muhimbili Medical Centre, Tanzania

Ageing is fast developing in Tanzania like in most developing countries against a background of many unsolved infrastructural problems. Persons aged 60 years and over constituted only about one percent of the total population in 1961 to 4% of 23.2 million people in 1988. Ageing is a process associated with chronic and disabling diseases. A two year hospital based study at the teaching hospital revealed five major diseases, similar to those in the western world, except for infectious diseases which accounted for a sixth of the total diagnoses. Socio-medical interview of 100 elderly patients uncovered that widowhood among females was ten times more than among males. A large proportion of elderly patients especially women had less than 4 years of education. Most elderly patients lived in extended family structures. Over 40% females and 32% males suffered from a multiplicity of chronic diseases. Physical disabilities increased rapidly with advancing age in both sexes. Capacity for self-care was worse in females than in males. The nature of diseases and disabilities in the elderly in Tanzania are difficult to ignore, particularly in the light of expected rapid progression of an ageing population. The need for systematic planning to meet the needs of the elderly is highlighted in the discussion.