[afro-nets] UN Health Agency Launches New Plan to Help Elderly People

[Claudio Schuftan <claudio@hcmc.netnam.vn>]

UN Health Agency Launches New Plan to Help Elderly People
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New York, Sep 7, 2004, 1:00PM

With more than 1 billion people projected to be over 60 years
old by 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launched
a new set of principles aimed at providing better care for the
elderly.

Released during the International Federation on Ageing's Seventh
Global Conference in Singapore, the strategy, called "Towards
Age-Friendly Primary Health Care," aims to tackle problems asso-
ciated with getting older, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's dis-
ease, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and muscu-
loskeletal problems by strengthening community health centres.

"WHO has recognized the critical role these centres play in the
health of older people worldwide and the need for these centres
to be accessible and adapted to the needs of the older popula-
tion," said WHO's Dr. Catherine Le Galès-Camus. "Supporting
older people to remain healthy and ensure a good quality of life
in their later years is one of the greatest challenges of the
health sector in all countries."