Who is advocating for the health of ageing populations around the globe?

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the inadequacies of the existing structures in place for the most vulnerable populations; this is especially true for the capacity of healthcare and social systems to care for older adults. There have been global outcries over long-term care systems; yet, who is coordinating the efforts to ensure we are investing in infrastructure to support the health and wellbeing needs of ageing populations? This commentary first situates the health of global ageing populations as an international responsibility, before examining why conventional global health actors have only partially filled this gap. The commentary concludes by calling for a dedicated institution to champion this cause, as global population ageing is unlikely to emerge as a global health priority without an international advocate.