WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2024 - By 2050, one in three people will be over 60 years old. With bold action to promote healthy longevity, developing countries could save 150 million lives and extend millions more, according to a new World Bank report. Saved health care costs, healthier lifestyles, increased workforce productivity, and lower public expenditure on social services would also generate enormous economic value.
The report, "Unlocking the Power of Healthy Longevity: Demographic Change, Non-communicable Diseases and Human Capital," lays out strategies for governments that can improve health, reduce poverty, address gender inequity, and enhance productivity in low- and middle-income countries. Healthy longevity means the state of good physical, cognitive, and social functioning throughout a person's lifespan.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)-such as diabetes, respiratory diseases, heart diseases, and cancers-already account for more than 70% of all deaths and a significant portion of disease and disability in low- and middle-income countries. These also intersect with climate stress and pandemic vulnerability. The poorest and most vulnerable people are most susceptible to NCDs because of higher rates of smoking, alcohol use, and obesity and lower quality of health care, and are least able to afford treatment and cope with income loss.
"Non-communicable diseases trap people in poverty, affecting opportunity and quality of life for current and future generations" said Mamta Murthi, Vice President, People Vice Presidency, World Bank. "To tackle the burden of disease and promote healthy longevity, we are encouraging countries to look at approaches beyond health care, that include child nutrition, education, and financial protection for the poorest. Acting now can shape a healthier, equitable, and more productive future."
The report outlines actions to reduce the risk of NCDs including integrating cost-effective clinical services and long-term care into primary healthcare, excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugar-sweetened beverages to mobilize additional revenue and encourage healthy behaviors," It will also be important to explore innovative social protection for people in the informal sector to help cover essential heath costs and enable dignified aging.
"Healthy Longevity is an evidence-based approach to help countries define prioritized, costed interventions and policy changes to save and extend people's lives," said Juan Pablo Uribe, Global Director for Health, World Bank. "We are ready to support countries on this journey with knowledge and financing."
Healthy longevity interventions also support gender equity. While women generally outlive men, they experience longer periods of disease and disability, and have fewer resources than men to address these challenges. Responsibility for caregiving reduces employment prospects and can compromise wellbeing. By emphasizing alternative care options such as community-based care, countries can contain costs, respect dignity, and aid women to remain in the workforce.
In April 2024, the World Bank Group announced a goal of reaching 1.5 billion people with better health services by 2030. The work on healthy longevity is essential to achieving this goal through scaling up high-impact interventions and strengthening financial protection for the poor and older populations.
