Regional : Challenges and Opportunities of Population Aging in Asia: Improving Data and Analysis for Healthy and Productive Aging

Health / Health sector development and reform

Rapid population aging in Asia poses new challenges in delivering effective and sustainable forms of health service, social security and pension. Many developing Asian economies face the risk of growing old before it becomes rich. This will be exacerbated by the gradual reduction of the working-age population; some economies will experience drastic reduction of its working age population (age 15-64) and their workforce also aging. However, as population ages, economies may not necessarily slow down with it. Adoption of new technology and properly designed policies could contribute to sustainable development in Asia. Addressing the new challenges requires better understanding of socio-economic consequence of population aging and the state of older persons, which will facilitate forward-looking policies that take advantage of the opportunities. For example, well-defined policies can improve older people's health and extend their skills and working lives, which can be a boon to Asian economies.

Promoting elderly health care in this regard is vital for the welfare and productivity of the elderly. As life expectancy extends and the number of older persons in Asia grow, there are greater need to care for non-communicable diseases and provide long-term and terminal care. In addition to health, ensuring old age income security among developing member countries (DMCs) remains a considerable challenge, where comprehensive coverage of pension or social protection for older persons is yet to be realized.

Aging countries can turn demographic headwind to tailwind by harvesting the 'silver dividend that stems from growing population of older workforce who are healthy, educated and experienced. This will require adjustments in education programs, skills development, lifelong learning to encourage upgrading of skills. In addition, physical augmentation technologies that aid mobility and endurance of the elderly will help the aging workforce remain productive. Understanding the employment and workforce participation pattern of older workers and evaluating the effectiveness of policies and programs that promote work participation is much needed across the DMCs. Quality data and rigorous analysis of health and other important outcomes of population aging help governments make informed decision in reforming health and social security and crafting broader policies to adapt to population aging. However, only a number of countries in the region collect these data sets; with some DMCs expressing interest in initiating such data collection as well as building capacity to research using such data. Quality and comparable regional data will create useful regional public goods for DMCs.

The proposed TA will respond to the need for data and research that focus on the characteristics of the elderly population, their needs, and the extent of social protection coverage, among others. Assisting DMCs in collecting and analyzing data in collaboration with leading academic institutions contributes to evidence-based policymaking for healthy and productive aging. It also encourages sharing and harmonizing research methodology and fosters cross/-fertilization of knowledge for better informed policy making process across the region.

Remaining poverty and inequalities reduced among developing Asia's vulnerable population, particularly the elderly and especially the female elderly

Social protection systems and provision of health care and financial services strengthened in developing Asia

Regional public good of fostering healthy and productive aging promotedc

Capacity of DMCs to monitor, develop, and reform health and social protection programs improved

1. Quality datasets on healthy and productive aging for targeted DMCs enhanced