WHO Reframes Global Health Agenda Around Healthy Ageing
The World Health Organization (WHO) has renewed its call for countries to adapt their health systems to meet the changing needs of older adults, as the world’s population continues to age at an unprecedented rate. According to the latest WHO Fact Sheet on Ageing and Health (updated October 2025), one in six people globally will be aged 60 and over by 2030, and by 2050, that number will double to 2.1 billion.
The fact sheet underscores a crucial shift in focus: the challenge is no longer just to extend life expectancy but to improve healthy life expectancy—the years lived in good health and independence. While people are living longer, many are spending more years in poor health, often with multiple chronic conditions. Noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and dementia now account for the majority of health burdens among older populations worldwide.
To help governments respond, WHO has released a new Framework for Implementing a Life Course Approach to Health in July 2025. The document calls on health ministries to move beyond disease-specific interventions and adopt a ‘’life course’’ perspective—one that views ageing as a continuous process influenced by health, environment, and equity from birth onward. The framework offers guidance on integrating ageing into every level of public health policy, from maternal care and education to urban design and long-term care.
‘’Healthy ageing begins before birth,’’ said Dr Anshu Banerjee, WHO Director for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing. ‘’The choices societies make today—about housing, work, and community — will determine whether people can live well at all ages.’’
Countries are encouraged to invest in age-friendly environments, intergenerational learning, and community participation to keep people active and engaged longer. WHO highlights that preventing isolation, improving mental-health services, and ensuring equitable access to care are now as vital as treating chronic disease itself.
The WHO will continue rolling out practical tools through 2030 as part of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, providing data, policy templates, and regional partnerships to accelerate adoption. The message is clear: longer lives are already here—the next challenge is ensuring they are lived in good health and dignity.
