Tunisia is among the countries experiencing a significant increase in life expectancy, approaching 75 years for men and 78 years for women, revealed Fatma Ben Fredj Ismail, professor of internal medicine and chair of the organizing committee of the 20th Mediterranean Geriatrics Forum, which opened Saturday in Sousse.
In an interview with Mosaïque FM, she explained that the acceleration of aging in Tunisia is mainly due to a declining birth rate.
She highlighted that the current fertility rate is below two children per couple, contributing to a high proportion of elderly people in the population, compounded by the emigration of young people, which affects the demographic decline of younger generations.
This medical forum, organized by the Tunisian Society of Geriatrics and the Tunisian Society of General Medicine, under the auspices of the Internal Medicine Department of Sahloul Hospital, the Faculty of Medicine of Sousse, the University of Sousse, and the World Organization on Aging in Africa, will focus on key issues in geriatrics.
Topics include improving the autonomy of older adults, reducing dependence, preventing falls and managing their complications, and establishing safe and appropriate medical prescriptions that address the specific health needs of the elderly.
