Factors Influencing Access to Reliable Health Care Financing among Elderly Population in Africa

Abstract

Population is ageing rapidly in all regions of the world and unreliable health care financing is capable of hindering older people from seeking competent medical attention which in turn may lead to their suffering, insecurity and/or death. In Africa, lack of access to reliable health care financing in old age poses serious development challenges and it is detrimental to healthy ageing, especially because elderly population are known to be facing various health challenges which require huge financial costs. Existing studies have shown that it is not sufficient to provide reliable health care financing for older people, it is more important to provide them access to these services. Ensuring that the elderly population has access to reliable health care financing in particular as well as other available and possible social support mechanisms that may encourage the provision of and access to reliable health care financing in general is a challenge and very key to healthy ageing. Through authors’ experiences in the health care system, narrative review of existing literature and interactions with some elderly people, this article explores various factors influencing older people’s access to reliable health care financing. It is believed that understanding of factors influencing access to reliable health care financing among older people in Africa will go a long way in directing policies toward the right course.