Ghanaians are living longer, according to a health expert who said the proportion of older persons aged 60 and above is now nine per cent.

Dr Joseph Badiako Asare, Chief Psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health told the GNA in Accra on Wednesday that in 1984, the proportion was around 3.2 per cent rising to 5.4 between 1991 and 1992.

"Extrapolating from a population of 18 million Ghanaians, the population of older persons should currently be about nine per cent. Although Ghana's population is relatively young it is already experiencing the ageing phenomenon", Dr Asare, who is the Vice President of HelpAge-Ghana said.

"These increases are as a result of improved general health services and education, not forgetting about the actual increases in population."

In 1998, the World Health Organisation report, which focused on life in the 21st century said the number of people aged over 65 would rise from 360 million in 1998 to 800 million by 2025 - reaching 10 per cent of the total population.

The report said many thousands of people born in 1998 would see the advent of the 22nd century.

Even though the population of older persons is increasing, Dr Asare said apart from the Accra Psychiatric Hospital, there is no Geriatric ward in any health facility in Ghana to provide specialised and exclusive care to the elderly.

He said older persons face chronic health problems such as hypertension, diabetes, depression, arthritis and senile dementia.

"We should think of training practitioners in gerontology (study of the process of ageing) to offer specialised care to older persons".

Dr Asare said there is only one gerontologist in the country based at the Accra psychiatric hospital who recently returned from training abroad.

He said many people are not aware of this field. "Besides it is unrewarding, even worse than psychiatry."

He said it is encouraging that the government is giving free treatment to elderly persons, at least at the primary care level because most of them could not afford the high cost of health care.

With the threat of HIV/AIDS and some experiences from other countries in Africa, Dr Asare said one should expect a lot of social burdens on older persons including that of looking after grandchildren.

"With the increase in the ageing population, some thinking will have to go into the provision of social and utility services appropriate for older persons.

"It is becoming increasingly clear that policies regarding ageing in Ghana should be pursued and completed with some urgency. This is because many people are going to live longer."