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| Photo for illustration (Source: vietnamnet.vn) |
The information was released by Mr. Pham Binh An, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, at the scientific conference on "Population aging and policies to adapt to population aging in Ho Chi Minh City” organized by the HCMC Institute for Development Studies coordinated with the city Department of Health on December 11.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, HCMC had 1,310,323 residents aged 60 and over at the end of 2023, representing 12.05 percent of the population. This signifies a significant increase in the elderly population, with projections indicating that they will constitute 20 percent of the city's total population by 2030.
Figures show that since 2017, the city has entered an aging phase. It is forecasted that by 2030, the proportion of the population aged 60 and over will reach 20% (equivalent to about 1.8 million people) and by 2050, this number could exceed 3 million people (over 30% of the total population).
According to MSc. Pham Chanh Trung - Head of the Department of Population and Family Planning of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam officially entered the population aging stage in 2011 when the proportion of people over 60 years old reached 10%. This proportion reached 12.8% in 2021, with a rapid increase.
Vietnam is expected to become a country with an aging population by 2036. Ho Chi Minh City also records a rapid aging rate, with the proportion of elderly people reaching 11.33% by 2023.
While an aging population presents economic, cultural, and social challenges, such as labor shortages and increased healthcare costs.
To cope with the challenges posed by population aging, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Tan said it is necessary to develop long-term care service packages including medical care, social care and daily living support for the elderly.
At the same time, strengthening public-private partnerships in the field of elderly care will take advantage of resources and expertise from both sides. In particular, it is necessary to develop support services for elderly people living alone or with their spouses, helping them maintain an independent and quality life. Develop home care services and integrated models of care services.
In addition, health policies should focus on improving the quality of health insurance, providing direct financial support to disadvantaged households, and investing in the primary health care system in rural areas. At the same time, health education should be strengthened so that the elderly can proactively prevent diseases, reduce treatment costs, and improve their quality of life./.