Why health systems must change: addressing the needs of ageing populations in low- and middle-income countries

The world’s population is ageing rapidly, with the over-60 population growing fastest. Since 2000, there have been more people aged 60 or over than children under 5. Ageing, however, brings with it a
number of challenges that suggest the need for more integrated horizontal and vertical approaches if health and care services for ageing and age-related health conditions are to be effective.

This is an analytical report of a two-year HelpAge programme, sponsored by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) in four countries in Asia, southern and eastern Africa, and Latin America. The programme piloted a range of interventions to address ageing and health in Cambodia, Mozambique, Peru and Tanzania. Project activities in the four countries focused on service delivery through community-based interventions, and policy work to improve access to – and quality of – health services to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

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Why health systems must change: addressing the needs of ageing populations in low- and middle-income countries