Ghanaians are living longer. The proportion of the population older than 60 is estimated to reach 12% in 2050, from close to 7% in 2010. The Ministry of Health, with the help of WHO and partners, is taking steps to help Ghana’s older people live healthier and more productive lives.

Collecting the evidence

In 2010, the Government of Ghana approved a national policy on ageing. Two years later, it asked WHO to support it in moving from policy to practice.

WHO’s first step was to set up a multi-stakeholder task team on ageing and health. The team was made up of staff from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Ghana Health Service, the University of Ghana, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and nongovernmental organizations such as HelpAge and Alzheimer’s Ghana.