Health Systems and Population Ageing in the Asia-Pacific Region: Challenges and Policy Options for the Future

Abstract

Health care for the ageing population has surfaced as a critical issue in many countries that have undergone rapid demographic and epidemiological transition. As chronic and degenerative health conditions are expected to intensify the demand and expenditure for health care, it becomes necessary to plan for appropriate and cost-effective services for the increasing number and proportion of elderly persons. Hence the urgency to apply bold and innovative approaches to the organization and financing of health care against the pressures of increasing costs for rapidly ageing societies. What are the regional lessons and what would be the long term impact on health and health systems? It is timely to take stock and monitor the trends and issues in healthcare systems around the region and to identify from a comparative perspective, the challenges that have arisen with changing social, economic and political conditions, and the ways in which governments are responding to these challenges. In this regard, it would be important to examine the changing roles concerning the interface between the public, private and voluntary sectors; the extent of public-private participation and integration in health and social care; and the policy implications in terms of future developments for health governance, education and research throughout the region.