PHA-Exchange> UN HEALTH AGENCY LAUNCHES NEW PLAN TO HELP ELDERLY PEOPLE

[Claudio]

From: "Vern Weitzel" <vern.weitzel at undp.org>

UN HEALTH AGENCY LAUNCHES NEW PLAN TO HELP ELDERLY PEOPLE
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 associated with
getting older, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, cancers, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease
and musculoskeletal 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 population," 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."