WHO sounds alarm over needs of elderly

The explosion in the world’s ageing population presents herculean challenges for health systems, especially in poorer countries, the World Health Organisation warned Thursday. As people live longer, the need to care for long-term, agerelated problems will grow, it said.

“Worldwide, life expectancy continues to rise,” a WHO press release said. “By 2020, people aged 60 and above will outnumber childrenyoungerthanfive.”TheWHO, in an overview published in British journal The Lancet, said long life was not necessarily associated with good health. A large part of global burden of illness is concentrated in people over 60. The phenomenon required “deep and fundamental reforms” of health and social care systems, it added.

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