National Aging Survey to help enhance health and well-being of elderly

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is set to launch the National Aging Survey, which will eventually help the policymakers in addressin...

Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) is set to launch the National Aging Survey, which will eventually help the policymakers in addressing the needs of the elderly population.

With the life expectancy and ageing population expected to increase in the country, the survey aligns with Qatar’s efforts to enhance health and wellbeing of the elderly, said officials dressing a press conference yesterday.

Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Programmes at the Ministry of Public Health, Sheikh Dr. Mohamed bin Hamad Al Thani said that the survey marks a significant step towards identifying health and social needs of the elderly and protecting their rights.

“In Qatar, number of elderly people is increasing, it be  doubled in the future. At present life expectancy among people in Qatar is 81 years and we anticipate it to increase to 83 years. Therefore, we have to be prepared to address their needs and provide services,” he said.

According to Dr. Al Thani, the survey will help to develop a national database on the health and social needs of the elderly and assist in creating strategies, policies, and future plans for the welfare of the aging population.