Vietnam is one of the seven countries with the highest population aging pace in the world, said delegates at the workshop "Social work adapting to the population aging context" held by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs on January 17.
Vietnam's aging rate is highest in the world. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn
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At the end of 2017, Vietnam had over 11 million elderly people, accounting for 11.95% of its population, Ha noted.
The deputy minister added that Vietnam is one of the few countries with the highest population aging rate in the world.
It is expected that it will take Vietnam less than 20 years to have the proportion of elderly people increase from 7% to 14%. It means moving from "being old" to "old" at the highest rate in the world. Even in 2038, the elderly group will account for nearly 20% of the total population, Ha stressed.
She warned that aging population will pose many challenges to ensuring infrastructure and social welfare to meet the needs of a rapidly aging society.
The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs forecasts that the number of elderly people who need to be looked after and affected by at least one physical or mental ailment will increase from 2.5 million in 2019 to 10 million in 2049.
