Legislators have urged the government to establish university courses to train medical doctors, also known as geriatricians, specialized in the treatment of older individuals. They expressed concern over the scarcity of such specialists, emphasizing the need to provide special medical attention to the elderly population.
During a parliamentary session, MPs pointed out that there is currently only one documented geriatrician in the country, stationed at Mulago National Referral Hospital. Rachel Magoola, an NRM representative from Bugweri, shared her frustrations in caring for an elderly relative due to the limited availability of geriatricians.
Rachel Magoola stated, “We really need to speed up the process of training geriatricians. I only know one person in Kampala, so what is happening in other areas? Older persons are lonely, suffer from depression, and experience a range of illnesses that require specialized medical attention.”
The debate took place in response to a statement by Hon. Dominic Gidudu, the Minister of State for Gender, Labour, and Social Development (Elderly Affairs), on the occasion of the International Day for Older Persons, commemorated on October 1, 2023, in Kyegegwa District. The minister confirmed that the nation only has one geriatrician and that plans to introduce specialized courses on the treatment of older individuals at universities have already begun.
Minister Gidudu stated, “Makerere University School of Public Health has initiated a postgraduate curriculum for a geriatrics course. This course aims to train a cadre of doctors capable of providing proper diagnoses for the health conditions of older persons.”
MP Wilson Kajwengye of Nyabushozi County proposed affirmative action for students applying for geriatric courses at universities and during the recruitment of geriatric doctors by the Ministry of Health. He suggested, “Makerere University should give special preference to students studying geriatric medicine during admissions, and the Ministry of Health should also prioritize these students in doctor recruitment.”
Dr. Nicholas Kamara, the MP for Kabale Municipality, emphasized that the elderly are at a higher risk of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, resulting in severe health issues like blindness, amputations, and life-threatening conditions like stroke.
MPs highlighted the social exclusion and conflicts over property faced by older persons, leading to depression and other mental health problems. They proposed that in addition to training doctors, Village Health Teams (VHTs) be trained and deployed to provide palliative care.
Hon. Juliet Kinyamatama, an Independent representative from Rakai, suggested, “We should have VHTs trained to regularly monitor older persons, most of whom cannot reach health facilities on their own. We also need village clubs for elders, where they can engage in simple exercises like dances and sports to combat depression.”
Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of Information, Communication, Technology, and National Guidance, emphasized the increasing life expectancy, which means a growing population of older individuals in the future. He stated that training medics to offer specialized treatment for the elderly is timely. Additionally, he revealed that Cabinet had received a Bill on older persons and called on MPs to support it when it is tabled.
