Global Commission on Ageing

Study and research conducted by competent bodies including the WHO have shown that the ageing population in the developing countries is rising at a fast speed and that by 2050 there will be more people in the age group of 60 plus worldwide than children aged under14 years. With this increasing population, there will be more burden on service especially health and consumer services. In order to tackle this problem, Global Commission on Ageing in Developing Countries has been launched at Beijing in China where our Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad chaired the session. The Union Minister in his capacity as the Chairman of 25 member countries of Partners in Population and Development (PPD) of the session, gave statistics related to the ageing population and their requirements in years to come. Essentially the objective of the Global Commission is to forge policies and programmes that would deal with gender, equity and rights of the ageing people so as to make their life more comfortable and respectable. It has to be noted that China and India are the world’s most populous countries and according to one estimate the 25 member countries of PPD constitute 48.6 per cent of the world population aged 60 and above. Additionally it is perceived that this percentage will grow to 57.1 % by the year 2050. Nine Asian countries constitute over 76.4 per cent of over 60 years population in Asia.
However this should not be considered the problem of Asia only though no doubt the Asian continent has the highest percentage of 60+ populations. Obviously this is a problem for these countries and also other developing countries on the globe. Consequently the global Commission will address the issues related to this segment of population. However, Mr. Azad was not all pessimistic about this phenomenon and tried to point out the positive aspects also. For example the contributions of an ageing population can be enhanced to create a second “Demographic Dividend” by adopting enabling polices for productive ageing and creating opportunities for extended economic life. The developing countries need proper guidance in economic and social areas and for this ageing population can offer good deal of contribution.
According to the Union Health Minister, our Government is already seized of the issue and has also taken some steps in the direction of meeting the challenge. For example the National Programme for Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) aims at setting up Regional Geriatric Centres in Regional Medical Institutions. Geriatric Units at District Hospitals and Rehabilitation Units at CHCs have been opened and the Government plans to extend the scheme to rural areas on a large scale.
Social rehabilitation of ageing population meaning 60 years of age and above is a pressing need for our times. Speed of modern life does not permit the working generation to pay as much of attention to older parents. There is great need of establishing well administered Old Age Homes in the country. These should come up in most of the urban settlements, because the population of ageing people above 60 years has been mostly recorded in the cities. Sad to say that security element in the case of aged citizens in our country is not up to the mark. We find aged and retired persons living lonely life are more prone to the attacks of criminals in cities. This menace has to be dealt with properly. In short the Global Commission on Ageing in Developing Countries, that has now been constituted, will hopefully address many urgent and pressing issues related to the aged population.

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