WHO warns Indonesia of aging population pressures
WHO warns Indonesia of aging population pressures
JAKARTA (JP): The World Health Organization (WHO) warned
Indonesia on Friday of health problems among its senior citizens,
as their number would reach 29 million in 2020, the third largest
aging population in the world after China and India.
WHO representative in Indonesia, Robert J. Kim-Farley, said
the government would be under pressure to care for the elderly in
the community as their health problems contribute to 74 percent
of the mortality rate in developing countries.
Farley said most illnesses were non-infectious, such as
diabetes, heart disease or stroke, cancer and hypertension.
"Therefore, health development in Indonesia must focus on
improving the quality of life and human resources, including the
elderly."
Farley was promoting World Health Day which falls on April 7.
This year's event will be devoted to "active aging". WHO has
declared 1999 the International Year of Older Persons.
WHO health promotion consultant, Susan Loo, suggested the
government become involved in early health intervention programs
by providing better health care services, health information to
older people, including awareness of processes which could lead
to degenerative and lifestyle diseases.
"We can alert (the elderly) about smoking, high-level
cholesterol consumption, lack of exercise and other lifestyles
which can lead to health problems for the elderly," she said.
The life expectancy rate for Indonesian women is 66.5 years,
while for men the rate is 62.9 years.
Farley insisted that healthy older people are valuable
resources for their families, communities and the national
economy.
WHO is currently collecting statistics on elderly Indonesians,
Farley said.
"We focus on aging as part of a whole life rather than a
static age set apart from the rest of the population."
WHO has allocated US$5 million annually in the past decade to
run its program in Indonesia, with up to $300,000 used to help
older people suffering from non-infectious diseases.
Activities to celebrate World Health Day will include visits
to institutions where elderly people are actively involved and a
workshop and seminar on older people. The activities are jointly
arranged by WHO and the Ministry of Health.
"The state-owned health insurance company, Askes, will serve
as coordinator of this year's event," Loo said. (edt)