Healthcare for the elderly has not kept pace with the rate of population aging.

While the number of elderly people is increasing, the healthcare system has not been able to meet the care needs of this population group.

This year's Vietnam Population Day (December 26th) has the theme "Community Joins Hands to Care for the Elderly." This is an opportunity for society to pay attention to a very "hot" and pressing issue: comprehensive care for the elderly in the context of a rapidly aging population. However, a major problem is that while the number of elderly people is increasing, the healthcare system has not yet met the care needs of this population group.

VOV.VN reporters interviewed Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Population and Family Planning (Ministry of Health), on the occasion of Vietnam Population Day.

Healthcare has not kept pace with the rate of aging.

PV: Sir, how will we adapt to the rapid pace of population aging we are experiencing today?

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan: Currently, the proportion of elderly people in our country's total population is increasing. In 2011, the number of people aged 65 and over officially exceeded 7%, and the proportion of people aged 60 and over reached 10%. By convention, Vietnam is beginning to enter the process of population "aging". If in 2012, there was only about 1 elderly person for every 11 people, it is estimated that by 2029, there will be 1 elderly person for every 6 people, and it is projected that by 2049, there will be 1 elderly person for every 4 people.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan, Deputy Director General of the General Department of Population and Family Planning

In particular, Vietnam is considered one of the countries with the fastest aging population in Asia, taking only about 17-18 years to increase from 7% to 14%. This means that by around 2027-2028, Vietnam will officially enter the period of an aging population.

This requires Vietnam to fully adapt in terms of economics, society, infrastructure, and other cultural factors. Without careful preparation and gradual adaptation, we will eventually face significant difficulties in achieving sustainable socio-economic development.

For example: As the number of elderly people increases, the goods produced to suit them must also increase proportionally, such as the numbers on telephones becoming larger; as more elderly people tend to live independently, kitchen utensils and dining tables must be designed accordingly; walkways must also be designed specifically for the elderly…

All of these factors need to be considered for a society that is adaptable to older people. This is not to mention the larger issues of how to care for older people in the community, family, and society at large, as this requires a specific approach, different from caring for younger people.

Reporter: The report shows that up to 95% of the elderly suffer from multiple health problems. In your opinion, what are the causes and solutions to improve healthcare for this population group, so that they can be healthy in old age?

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan:In reality, there is still much work to be done in the care of the elderly, especially in the area of ​​prevention. We completely lack a proactive plan in this regard.

Firstly, the number of elderly people with health insurance cards is not large. Those covered by mandatory health insurance, those classified as near-poor, poor, or residing in disadvantaged areas with state subsidies account for only a small percentage; the rest are those without health insurance cards.

Elderly people in Nghia Lien commune (Nghia Dan district) attend a community-based health care consultation session for the elderly (Photo: Ngoc Anh)

Secondly, even within the system for those with health insurance cards, there are still shortcomings in preventative measures, namely the lack of regular health monitoring for people living in the community. We have a commune-level health system, but it mainly focuses on campaign-based activities. There are no health records for the population, including the elderly, to provide guidance on lifestyle, exercise, medication use, etc., to avoid the risk of illness. We haven't yet designed these things.

This is an area that needs improvement in primary healthcare and preventive medicine for the elderly. Furthermore, the rehabilitation system still relies heavily on hospitals. We haven't yet established a rehabilitation system for everyone, including the elderly.

PV: In reality, have the healthcare services for the elderly in hospitals met the required standards, sir?

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan:The Ministry of Health has issued documents and circulars guiding all medical facilities nationwide on healthcare for the elderly. Large hospitals are required to have a geriatrics department. Hospitals that have not yet established a geriatrics department must allocate a certain number of beds for the elderly.

However, to date, only 28 hospitals nationwide have geriatrics departments. Our geriatrics system is developing slowly compared to current needs.

It should also be added that, according to calculations in various countries, the average cost of healthcare for the elderly is eight times higher than that for younger people. In South Korea, for example, nearly 30% of the elderly population spends almost 80% of the total health insurance costs.

We still have a certain percentage of elderly people who do not have health insurance cards, so every time they fall ill, elderly people who are poor or near-poor will face an economic crisis.

Striving to slow down the aging process.

PV: What solutions will the General Department of Population implement to contribute to improving healthcare for the elderly?

Mr. Nguyen Van Tan:The General Department of Population is the agency that researches and proposes population policies. However, addressing the issue of population aging requires the involvement and cooperation of many different ministries and sectors. We strive to maintain appropriate population development policies, aiming to slow down the aging process. This does not mean reducing the number of elderly people, but rather slowing down the rate of increase in the proportion of the elderly in the population.

Our policy is to try to maintain the replacement fertility rate, with an average of two children per couple, which will help slow down the increase in the proportion of elderly people in the population.

We also collaborate with other agencies to propose appropriate policies for comprehensive care of the elderly, encompassing health, social, and cultural aspects. We test comprehensive healthcare models based on research from other countries; propose models suitable to Vietnam's socio-economic and cultural conditions, and create a foundation for all sectors of society to participate in providing better healthcare for the elderly.

PV: Thank you, sir!

According to VOV