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 Ageing populations

Summary

5 April 2012

Population ageing is happening fastest in poorer countries. But some health systems around the globe may struggle to cope with the increased burden of an older population. 

Reporter

Mike Wooldridge

Report

While Europe and Japan were among the first places to see their population ageing, the phenomenon is now occurring fastest in low and middle-income nations and WHO says the most dramatic changes are taking place in countries such as Cuba, Iran and Mongolia.

This means that where in the past infections were considered the greatest challenge, now even in the poorest countries the biggest health burdens for older people come from conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, dementia and sight and hearing loss.

WHO says present heath systems are poorly designed for the chronic care needs arising from this pattern of disease. The campaigning organisation HelpAge International welcomed the new focus on the impact of ageing but said the global community was still worryingly slow to act.

HelpAge cited Ghana where it said nearly sixty per cent of older people suffer from high blood pressure often leading to strokes and heart attacks but only five per cent are able to control it through medication.