"Indonesia is now starting to enter an (era of) aging population, where its people are starting to age," Nida Rohmawati said at a media gathering ahead of the Indonesian International Elderly Health Exhibition (Senior Expo) in Jakarta on Thursday.
As per the World Health Organization (WHO), a country can be said to be entering the population aging era if more than 10 percent of its population is elderly, she added.
Based on 2023 data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the elderly account for almost 12 percent of the Indonesian population.
"This shows that our society is starting to age. Previously, the diagram looked like a pyramid, from the oldest at the top as the fewest, to the youngest with the most population. Now, it has started to shift to become like a flower vase," she pointed out.
This phenomenon reflects increased life expectancy from 68.2 years in 2022 to 74 years currently, which also indicates improving access to health in Indonesia, Rohmawati said.
However, this achievement has come with a challenge. Once life expectancy reached 68, the elderly usually experienced illness for eight years before death. With the life expectancy increasing further, the period of illness has also increased to 11 years.
"Even though their lives are getting longer, they are also suffering more. Right now, we are trying to prevent (them from) living a long life with illness," she informed.
Therefore, her party is making efforts to improve the standard of living of the elderly to enable them to have a quality life, including through the Community Health Center Program for the Elderly, which provides health services to the pre-elderly and elderly.
The services include promotive, preventive, curative, and rehabilitative services, which are a part of the health transformation carried out by the ministry.
Rohmawati also reminded the public to take good care of the elderly to help them become productive citizens.
Related news: S Korea's ageing population presents job opportunities for Indonesians
Related news: No adverse effect following loss of country with most Muslims status
Related news: JKN coverage reached 95.77 percent of Indonesia's population: Ministry
Translator: Sean Filo M, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2024
