Asia Pacific faces growing health challenges as population ages

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With nearly 1.3 billion people in Asia Pacific expected to be aged 60 or older by 2050, experts at the Silver Economy Forum 2026 called for greater investment in healthy aging, disease prevention and healthcare innovation.

Asia Pacific's rapidly aging population is creating economic opportunities while placing growing pressure on healthcare systems, prompting calls for greater investment in disease prevention and healthy longevity.

The challenges were discussed at the Silver Economy Forum 2026, held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on Nov. 11-12. Organized by the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA) and the Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society (MHAS), the event brought together policymakers, business representatives and healthcare experts to discuss how countries can support longer, healthier and more productive lives.

Nearly 1.3 billion people in Asia Pacific, or about a quarter of the region's population, are expected to be aged 60 or older by 2050.

Globally, people aged 60 and above account for an estimated US$19 trillion in annual consumer spending, projected to reach US$34 trillion by 2036. However, realizing this economic potential will depend partly on whether older people can remain healthy and economically active.

Research by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) in Vietnam and the Philippines found that 30-50% of older people were still working. Among those who had stopped, about half cited health problems.

Dr. Liem Nguyen, ERIA's program manager for social welfare, said discussions about the silver economy should go beyond older people's purchasing power.

"It is not just about savings and how older people are spending money, but it is about employment for older people," Nguyen said.

He identified health conditions, financial insecurity and gaps in social protection as barriers to older adults remaining in the workforce.

Against this backdrop, Bayer hosted a media discussion titled "Longer Lives, Better Years: Reimagining Healthcare for Asia Pacific" in Kuala Lumpur on Nov. 11, focusing on chronic diseases and the importance of early intervention.

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