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Assess the challenges for countries with the largest shares of aged populations.

Assess the challenges for countries with the largest shares of aged populations.

14:23

Assess the challenges for countries with the largest shares of aged populations.
(UPSC geography optional paper 1 2019, 15 Marks)

Answer:
Share of the population which has more than 65 age and they are dependent on other or economically inactive is called the aged population. As per the 2015 world Population data, the following countries having the largest aged population in term of percentage in decreasing order:
  • Japan
  • Italy
  • Germany



 Entire Europe and northern America are moving towards the aged population.
Current status of the aged population:

  • As per world population aging report by UN, the aged population above 65 will surplus in number with under five years in 2019.
  • In India, at present 7% of the population are aged. 20% of the Indian population will be above 60 years by 2050.
The following are the challenges:
  • The dependency ratio would increase and the working-age population will decrease; it will increase the supply shortage of manpower in the market. Inflation would increase with the increase of wage hike.
  • Health burden would increase as elder people suffer both communicable and non-communicable diseases. Communicable diseases such as infection and non-communicable diseases such as disability, vision and hearing loss, heart problems, diabetes, and Blood pressure. The fiscal burden of government will increase leads to higher inflation.
  • De-industrialization process will speed up as  shortage of manpower will leads the 
  • Age-related complex like fall, frailty, morbidity.
  • Social and family problems loneliness and tension with the family will increase with the increasing financial burden.
What can be done:
  • Development of communities levels health care to elderly persons.
  • Routine health care checkups needed for non-communicable diseases.
  • Majority of an elderly person are living in rural areas with little or no source of income and as we know the health care system is not robust in rural India, hence needs Five A approach to handle :
    • Availability
    • Affordability
    • Accessibility
    • Acceptability
    • Accountability
Source: The Hindu
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