79th WHA Constituency Statements
We commend the draft strategy on the Economics of Health for All and its vision of centring health within economic decision-making, and urge Member States to adopt this strategy and to prioritise healthy ageing and longevity-ready societies as a central pillar of implementation.
As populations age in all regions, the health and functional ability of older persons will increasingly determine the sustainability of health systems, and the resilience, productivity, and social cohesion of societies and economies.
Investment in healthy ageing is a strategic economic and social investment.
Supporting people to live longer, healthier, and more independent lives strengthens labour force participation, reduces long-term care costs, enhances intergenerational solidarity, and supports inclusive and sustainable growth. In contrast, underinvestment risks deepening inequalities, increasing pressure on health and social systems, and constraining economic potential.
We call for stronger prioritization of prevention across the life course, with a particular focus on older age. Investment in health promotion, disease prevention, palliative care, timely access to care across areas such as cardiovascular, eye, brain and mental health, and action on social determinants of health, is essential to compress morbidity and ensure that added years of life are lived in good health.
Member states can prepare for demographic change by integrating a spectrum of services from prevention to palliative care and ensuring healthy ageing is central to economic, financing, and cross-sectoral planning.