Is it time the Government paid more attention on the health of its increasingly ageing population?

It would be short-sighted if they did not, says Jack Watters, Pfizer Vice-President, External Medical Affairs, putting the spotlight on “healthy life expectancy, rather than just life expectancy”.

But in a country where planners are obsessed with the large number of young people, concerns of an ageing population barely show up on the radar.

“One of the striking things I heard … is that the Indians over 60 currently represents 7 percent of the population – and by 2050 (in 36 years), it will be 20 percent,” says Watters.

In the rest of the world, people over 60 made up 7 percent of the population in 1950, which will become 20 or 22 per cent by 2050. It took 100 years for such a growth. But India is taking only about 35 to 40 years, he adds. The change in demographics will happen, no matter who is in power, he says. Politicians need to recognise that “demographic and epidemiological changes, disease changes happen regardless of the electoral cycle of who is in power”.

People are living longer and will experience various diseases. But that opens up an opportunity to help prevent some diseases, besides modifying the progression of others, he says. “The ultimate goal is to not just extend people’s lives but to extend the quality and time of their lives.”

Shared goals The Government needs to partner with non-government organisations (NGO) and industry to make sure healthcare reaches those who need it, he says.

But isn’t Government suspicious of industry, and NGOs, too? “Of course, we are a commercial operation and we survive on the success of our business and our business survives on the success of our research and development and innovation and being able to market these products. There is no doubt about that… I work for a for-profit organisation,” says Watters.

While there is no issue with a broad spectrum coming together, he says a healthy degree of caution is important. And what matters then is the alignment of objectives.

It’s time to get rid of traditional suspicion and scepticism, align goals and bring in transparency, he says. “I believe in healthy level of caution, but really no one has the moral high ground…”

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