HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 19 (acn) Cuba's elderly population has increased to two million since 1992, some 19.2 percent up from 12.4 percent when the First Cuban Gerontology and Geriatrics Congress was held.
During the ninth Congress of the specialty, Doctor Humberto Arencibia, who heads the event's organizing committee, said that the expectancy of life at birth here is 78 years and the trends for 2040 indicate that Cubans as old as 60 years will outnumber three and a half million.
Cuban population amounts to little over 11 million, out of which more than 5 million people are economically active, according to the latest official figures in 2013.
At the opening session of the Congress, underway at Havana's Conventions Hall, Doctor Arencibia said that an integral and coherent strategy must be undertaken to cushion the adverse effects of aging and take advantage of all opportunities to guarantee prolonged life with high quality.
Senior citizens keep being an important economic sustain for their families, in education and caring for family members; they also contribute to community life, he said.
In statements to the Cuban News Agency, the head of the National Elderly Program, Doctor Alberto Fernandez said that the country counts on 273 Geriatrics and Gerontology experts and 53 residents.
The local infrastructure offers 274 elderly homes with over 9 thousand 300 capacities, a figure that has increased by over 1 thousand 400 since 2013. Along with those capacities, elderly homes offer day-care services for 12 thousand 703 senior citizens through the country.
Nos reservamos el derecho de no publicar los comentario que incumplan con las normas de este sitio