Nhan Dan/VNA - The effects of an ageing population and care for the elderly were the highlights of a November 19 conference in Hanoi.
The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Health, the Hanoi University of Public Health and Sweden’s Umea University.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Xuyen said caring for the elderly is among the top concerns of the Party, the State and the society as a whole, creating conditions to ensure that older people enjoy healthy and happy lives.
She noted that Vietnam’s population has reached 90 million, with rapid ageing in recent years. It is one of ten countries expected to experience the fastest ageing rate between now and 2050.
The official stressed that scientific and practical research should be undertaken to design effective healthcare models for the elderly.
Today, the average life expectancy in the country is 73 while half a century ago it was just 40. In that time the global average has increased by 21 years.
From 1979 to 2009, Vietnam’s elderly population grew by one million people every decade. It currently rises by 1.2 million every two years, bringing the total number of elderly people to 8.65 million.
Over the past year, access to healthcare services for the elderly has been improved. However, access is still inadequate for vulnerable groups such as women, the poor and illiterate people – especially those in rural areas.
The healthcare system and the resources available to care for old people remain inadequate.
During the two-day event, researchers and experts proposed a number of new initiatives to shape the healthcare strategy and model for the elderly.
They also suggested measures to improve the healthcare system and policies to meet the need for public healthcare services in Vietnam , strategies on mental healthcare for old people and the role of healthcare services and technical support for the elderly.
Swedish Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam Maria Selin and the chief representative of the Sweden International Development Co-operation Agency both said that Sweden is willing to share its experience in providing healthcare services for the elderly with Vietnam.
Đăng ký: VietNam News