Abstract:
Global and regional human rights treaties require state parties, including Tanzania, to take
constitutional, legislative, policy and other measures to give effect to the rights guaranteed in
the treaties. This article seeks to answer the question of whether Tanzania has taken adequate
constitutional, legislative, and policy measures toward realising older persons’ right to
healthcare. Tanzania’s international human rights obligations to realise older persons’ right to
healthcare stem from international and regional human rights treaties which include the African
Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social
and Cultural Rights. It is observed that, although Tanzania has recognised the need to ensure
access to healthcare services by older persons, implementation of such policies remains a
challenge as older persons continue to experience many challenges in accessing healthcare
services. Moreover, the lack of constitutional protection of older persons’ rights and the right
to healthcare and the absence of specific legislation on older persons render the legal
framework on older persons’ right to healthcare extremely inadequate.
