The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them? (Answer in 150 words)

Higher life expectancy is a development gain, but it increases the duration and scale of chronic disease, disability and care needs, requiring a shift from episodic treatment to life-course health systems.

Emerging challenges

• Population ageing raises the burden of dementia, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and multi-morbidity.
• Disability, loneliness, mental-health needs and dependence increase demand for long-term care.
• Families face catastrophic expenditure and a feminised, unpaid caregiving burden.
• Antimicrobial resistance and lifestyle-related disease complicate conventional public-health responses.

Required steps

• Expand primary care, screening, geriatric services, palliative care and rehabilitation under universal health coverage.
• Train community health workers and create home-based, telemedicine and assisted-care services.
• Strengthen health insurance, pensions, disability support and affordable medicines.
• Promote preventive health, nutrition, physical activity and age-friendly transport and housing.

Governance

• Public systems should integrate health, social care and local bodies, ensuring dignity and participation of older persons.

Healthy ageing; NCDs; geriatric care; palliative care; social security; universal health coverage.