Honourable Ministers, heads of delegation, dear colleagues and friends,
Looking in the mirror every morning is a daily reminder that we are all getting older. I just crossed 60 last March, so I’m in that category, but I’m blessed because I have many grandkids.
Globally, and in this region, the number of people aged over 60 is expected to double by 2050.
We now live longer than any humans in the history of our species.
When WHO was created, global life expectancy was 25 years less than it is today.
Longer lives are a sign of our success in preventing premature mortality from both communicable and noncommunicable diseases.
But of course, ageing populations bring their own set of challenges:
Higher incidence of noncommunicable diseases, as many of you have said;
Higher incidence of dementia;
Reduced mobility;
Increased loneliness and social isolation, and more.
The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing is a global initiative to recognize the challenges that many countries face, and to invest in addressing them together.
By the way, mobility, vision, hearing – I can feel them. When I read this I thought, I’m talking about myself.
Our aim must be not just to add years to life, but life to years.
That means addressing the many barriers to healthy ageing:
Improving access to health and care services, and supporting care-givers, who are often women;
Developing communities that are better places to grow older;
And – many of you have said this – challenging ageism.
Of course, there is no typical older person. We are all different, and we will all age differently.
Our communities, environments, and work and educational opportunities all affect health and well-being as we grow older.
Growing older comes, sooner or later, often with declines in health, and other challenges such as loss of friends and family, or other types of decreased social contact and responsibility.
There is an African proverb that says: “What an old person can see sitting down, the youth cannot see standing up.”
It means that the experience and wisdom that come with age enable older people to look beyond the horizon; to see things that others cannot.
I welcome the Colombo Declaration on healthy ageing through strengthened primary health care, and its ten commitments.
Catharina already said it, what Professor Viroj said earlier, tracking our progress based on the declaration every two years is a very good proposal, and full support from our side. If that can be done, we can see how we are progressing towards respective goals in respective countries.
WHO stands ready to support all of you to implement them, and to create a healthier future for all older people, in this region and everywhere.
I thank you.