Elderly people receive free health examination at an event held to mark Day of the Elderly People in Việt Nam (June 6) in 2022. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The Institute of World Economics and Politics (IWEP) under the Việt Nam Academy of Social Sciences held an international symposium on population aging's impacts on economic development in Hà Nội on Friday.

The event offered a chance for scientists to exchange views on the trends and impacts of population aging on economic development based on international experience and practice in Việt Nam, and propose solutions to cope with the current rapid population aging in the country.

IWEP Acting Director Phí Vĩnh Tường said that population aging is a big challenge for economic development and welfare issues and Việt Nam officially entered the aging population stage.

He cited the General Statistics Office (GSO)'s data as saying that in 2019, Việt Nam had about 10.4 million elderly people whose age is 65 and over, accounting for 11 per cent of the population.

According to the United Nations Population Fund's forecast, in 2029, the number of elderly people in Việt Nam will reach 17 million people, accounting for 16.5 per cent of the population. The figures will reach 22.2 million people and 20.2 per cent in 2038, and 31 million and 27 per cent in 2069.

The figures showed that population aging in Việt Nam occurs faster than the population growth rate, and is concentrated in rural areas. Việt Nam's population aging is resulting in several socio-economic problems that need to be solved such as employment, healthcare, social welfare, and has affected economic growth and social welfare issues.

Participants stressed the need to strengthen the role and capacity of socio-political and professional organisations in building, mobilising and implementing policies for population aging and the elderly; unifying the approach on population aging in researching and making related policies; and strengthening communication and education to raise public awareness of improving healthcare for the elderly. — VNS