DATE: 23 May 2023
TIME: 18:00–19:00 CEST / 12:00–13:00 EDT

What's the opportunity?

People around the world are, on average, living longer than ever before. By 2030, the number of older persons is projected to increase by 34% to 1.4 billion, with the majority living in low- and middle-income countries. This is one of humanity’s greatest achievements and an unprecedented opportunity for all people to live with meaning, dignity, and purpose for longer.

However, longer lives are not yet healthier lives for all. Too many people around the world are experiencing worse health than they should, particularly as they age, because of gaps in our health and social care systems as well as broader environments that prevent us from maximising our later years. While we have succeeded by adding years to life (extending lifespan), we must now add life to years (extending the number of years lived in good health).

How do we take action to leverage the opportunity?

Recognising the urgency of action, UN Member States designated 2021–2030 the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing: a global collaboration aligned with the last ten years of the Sustainable Development Goals that brings together governments, civil society, international agencies, professionals, academia, the media, and the private sector to improve the lives of older people, their families, and communities.

The first report on progress in implementing the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing will be made to the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly. The report will indicate that significant advancements have been made to realise the vision of a world where all people can live long and healthy lives. However, an accelerated, all-of-society approach is required to continue this trajectory of success – particularly in light of the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health and well-being of older people.

Since the declaration of the UN Decade, new evidence has continued to show that Member States around the world stand to gain significant returns by investing in healthy ageing. For example, the United States National Academy of Medicine’s Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity provides a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and opportunities presented by global ageing and supports the implementation of the UN Decade by outlining evidence-based recommendations. Such resources as well as ongoing work by Member States clearly demonstrate that investments in healthy ageing:
 

• Benefit not only the heath sector, but all other sectors in turn – work, economy, education and more
• Improve the health and well-being of current and future generations of older people
• Enable countries to deliver on multiple commitments at once, including the Sustainable Development Goal
  

Objective of this event

This event created a space for Member States to have an open dialogue on how we can maximise the opportunities presented by longevity during the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing. Participants heard from fellow Member States on the investments they are making in healthy ageing, the returns on investment they are seeing, and how they are drawing on new resources and evidence to implement the UN Decade. The discussion also featured reflections from the World Health Organization and the National Academy of Medicine on emerging themes and ways forward to fulfil the promise of the 2030 Agenda through the UN Decade.

Programme
 

• Welcome by Dr Etienne Krug, Director, Department of Social Determinants of Health, WHO
   
• Introductory remarks by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO; and Dr Victor J Dzau, President, US National Academy of Medicine (pre-recorded)
   
• Member State panel discussion by:
  • H.E. Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, Singapore – Chair
  • H.E. Dr Edwin Dikoloti, Minister of Health, Botswana
  • H.E. Dr Ahmed Abdulwahab Al-Alwadhi, Minister for Health, Kuwait
  • H.E. Dr Alexei Carillo Villegas, Vice Minister for Health, Costa Rica
  • H.E. Dr Kerstin Vesna Petrič, Head of the Office for Cooperation with WHO, Ministry of Health, Slovenia
     
• Expert reflections by Dr Linda Fried, Co-chair, Global Roadmap for Healthy Longevity, National Academy of Medicine; and Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director, Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing, WHO