Ageing and health in the Western

Pacific Region:
policy implications and priorities for action

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this paper/presentation are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
views or policies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), or its Board of Governors, or the governments they represent. ADB
does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this paper and accepts no responsibility for any consequence of their
use. Terminology used may not necessarily be consistent with ADB official terms.

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Populations are getting older

2050
2045
2040
2035
2030
2025
2020
2015

Ageing and health:

Proportion (%) of population aged 60 years or over

Varying demographic transitions

40.0%
Year 2010

Year 2030

35.0%
30.0%
25.0%
20.0%
15.0%
10.0%
5.0%
0.0%

(sorted from low-income to high-income group according to World Bank Classification 2012)

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The speed of population ageing

is increasing

235 million people aged 60 years and above account for

over 13% of total population in the Western Pacific Region.
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People are living longer.

How these extra 20

years can be spent
depends on health.

Health in older age is not random

Labour force participation, 60+ years, 2010

Literacy in younger and older

population, selected countries

Feminization of ageing: sex ratios

Sex ratio of population aged 60 years

and above, selected countries,
Western Pacific Region, 2012

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11

Healthy life expectancy

Women live
longer than
men, but
spend
proportionally
fewer years
in good
health.

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Top 10 causes of DALYs,

men and women, 70+ years, 2012

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Public Health Framework

Age

Domains of functional ability

Healthy Ageing:
is the process of
developing and
maintaining the
functional ability
that enables
well-being
in older age.

WHO is committed to support Member

States in addressing ageing and health.
Regional Framework for
Action on Ageing and Health
in the Western Pacific
(2014-2019)

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This support is guided by

WHOs action framework for UHC.
Health system attributes and action domains of UHC
EFFICIENCY
QUALITY

System design
Incentive for appropriate
provision and use of services
Managerial efficiency and
effectiveness

Regulations

Effective, responsive
services
Individual, family, and
community engagement

EQUITY

RESILIENCE

Public health preparedness

Community capacity
Health system adaptability
and sustainability

ACCOUNTABILITY

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Financial protection
Service coverage
Non-discrimination

Government leadership
Partnerships
Transparency, monitoring
and evaluation

Health system attributes and

action domains for UHC
Health System attributes
QUALITY

EFFICIENCY

EQUITY

ACCOUNTABILITY

SUSTAINABILITY AND
RESILIENCE

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Action domains for achieving UHC

1.1 Regulations and regulatory environment
1.2 Effective, responsive individual and population-based services
1.3 Individual, family and community engagement
2.1 System design to meet population needs
2.2 Incentive for appropriate provision and use of services
2.3 Managerial efficiency and effectiveness
3.1 Financial protection
3.2 Service coverage and access
3.3 Non-discrimination
4.1 Government leadership and rule of law for health
4.2 Partnerships for public policy
4.3 Transparency, monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
5.1 Public health preparedness
5.2 Community capacity
5.3 Health system adaptability and sustainability

Regional framework for action on

ageing and health: Action pillars
1. Foster age-friendly
environments through action
across sectors
2. Promote healthy ageing across
the life course and prevent
functional decline and disease
among older people

3. Reorient health systems to

respond to the needs of older
people
4. Strengthen the evidence-base
on ageing and health
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1. Foster age-friendly environments

through action across sectors
Role of determinants in
health e.g. transport
Leadership role of the health
sector for collaboration and
action across sectors
Age-friendly cities and
communities

Participation and
empowerment of older
people
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An example of mobility
Shop keeper
helpful and
friendly?
Accessible
buses or taxis?

Any benches
to rest on,
public toilets ?

Pleasing and safe

neighbourhood?
Accessible
housing?

Footpaths available
throughout?
Pedestrian
crossing?

Different sectors need to work together

Work

Nutrition

Housing

Urban
planning

Transport

Health

Social welfare

WHO Global Network of Agefriendly Cities and Communities

2. Promote healthy ageing across

the life- course and prevent functional
decline and disease among older people
Reduce exposure to risk factors and promote healthy
behaviours across the life course
Empower people to maintain their health as they grow
older
Maximizing functional ability and preventing functional
decline and ill-health among older people:

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Falls

Dementia

Example: Good practices in Japan

-Local prevention programmes
Various prevention programmes are
provided in municipalities, managed by
elderly themselves.

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3. Reorient health systems to respond to

the needs of older people
Develop a
comprehensive
national policy that
responds to
population ageing:
Ageing in national
health plans
Health in national
ageing plans

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3. Reorient health systems to respond to

the needs of older people (contd.)
Integrated service delivery to
ensure continuity of care
Health workers with
appropriate skills

Equitable health financing

and financial protection
Access to essential
medicines and health
technology

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The importance of long-term care systems

Establish the
foundation for a
functioning system

Fig.: Elements of an older personcentred system of long-term care

Develop the long-term

care workforce
Ensure the quality of
long-term care
Source: WHO World Report on ageing and health (2015)

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Example: Integrated care in Japan

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WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on

Ageing and Health
WHR 67/13 requested
the development of a
Global Strategy and
Action Plan
Consultations are
ongoing
Revised draft discussed
by WHO EB (Jan 2016)
and on agenda of WHA
2016
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Thank you!
http://www.wpro.who.int/topics/ageing/en
/

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