The World Health Organisation (WHO) is being accused of institutional ageism by academics, who say older people and dementia have been left out of its work programme for the next five years. The work programme was the most important document the WHO publishes, since it sets out the funding priorities for years to come.
The academics say WHO is “washing its hands” of older people. “This is entirely unacceptable. If the proposed programme is approved, it will considerably diminish WHO’s global authority and will brand it as a champion of age discrimination,” says the letter from experts on ageing from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “We therefore urge that WHO rectify this striking oversight and that the proposed programme include substantial plans relating to the health of older people and challenges of population ageing.”
12% of the world’s population is over the age of 60. By 2030, that will have risen to 16.5%. Even in the less developed regions where life expectancy is often lower, 10% of the population will be over 60 by 2030. While older people have more illnesses and are greater users of health services, they also play important roles in society, caring for grandchildren and other adults with disabilities.
“This is part of a wider pattern of explicit discrimination against older people in global health policy,” said Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, professor of social policy and international development at UEA’s School of International Development.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/04/who-accused-of-institutional-ageism-over-five-year-work-programme-world-health-organisation
The academics say WHO is “washing its hands” of older people. “This is entirely unacceptable. If the proposed programme is approved, it will considerably diminish WHO’s global authority and will brand it as a champion of age discrimination,” says the letter from experts on ageing from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. “We therefore urge that WHO rectify this striking oversight and that the proposed programme include substantial plans relating to the health of older people and challenges of population ageing.”
12% of the world’s population is over the age of 60. By 2030, that will have risen to 16.5%. Even in the less developed regions where life expectancy is often lower, 10% of the population will be over 60 by 2030. While older people have more illnesses and are greater users of health services, they also play important roles in society, caring for grandchildren and other adults with disabilities.
“This is part of a wider pattern of explicit discrimination against older people in global health policy,” said Peter Lloyd-Sherlock, professor of social policy and international development at UEA’s School of International Development.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/04/who-accused-of-institutional-ageism-over-five-year-work-programme-world-health-organisation
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