The world is in the midst of a demographic and epidemiological transition, marked by ageing populations and a rising burden of chronic diseases. Between 2015 and 2050, the share of the world’s population aged over 60 is expected to nearly double, from 12 per cent to 22 per cent. Nowhere is this shift more consequential than in Asia. The region’s 65-plus population is projected to nearly triple — from 414 million in 2020 to 1.2 billion by 2060 — pushing Asia’s share of the world’s older population above 60 per cent. 

Based on estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021, older adults accounted for nearly 2 billion cases of non-communicable diseases globally, with over 800 million disability-adjusted life years lost and an estimated 34.68 million deaths annually.

This transition is reshaping how health systems must function. Systems built for episodic care are now expected to manage long-term conditions that require continuity and coordination, but they remain poorly designed to do so. Older adults need care that is ongoing, coordinated across providers, and responsive to declining function. Across South and Southeast Asia, many are instead left navigating fragmented services, exposing a growing gap between need and provision. 

This suggests that the challenge is not simply one of resources, but of how health systems are organised and, crucially, of what is expected of primary care. Strong primary health care systems can address the health needs of ageing populations. Personal health services offered at primary health care facilities can manage NCDs. The presence of primary health care........

© Indian Express