Speakers at seminar on Friday urged the concerned quarters to ensure provision of better healthcare services to older people of the country by utilizing all available resources.
They were addressing a seminar on ageing and health, jointly organized by World Health Organization (WHO) and Help Age International in connection with World Health Day being observed on Saturday. They asked for inclusion of ageing and older people in plans, strategies and programmes to combat non-communicable and communicable diseases. They said it is vital that the health sector at all level addressed older people’s health and care.
Dr Summaiya from World Health Organization (WHO) said it is a high time that policy makers should revise the policies for proper taking care of older people. She said the government, society and communities as a whole, need to act now and plan together responsibly for health services and supportive environments favorable to graceful healthy ageing. Acting Country Director, Help Age, Syed Moeez ud Din said there is an immediate need to recognize and take comprehensive timely action to address population ageing through systematic integrated health care and social services complemented with continued family support and respect. He said quality of life should remain a high priority and due consideration must also be given to account for gender realities and specific needs. Dr Amjad from Help Age said older people made important contributions as family members, volunteers and are active participants in the workforce besides a significant social and economic resource. He said the main health challenges for older people everywhere are non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease. Other speakers said older people in low- and middle-income countries currently face up to four times the risk of death and disability from non-communicable diseases than people in high-income countries. They stressed the need for urgent action to ensure that at a time when the world’s population is ageing rapidly, people reach old age in the best possible health.
They said poor health is not the only concern of people as they grew older. Stigmatizing attitudes and common stereotypes often prevent older people from participating fully in society, they said.
