Ageing and Health Agenda for Nepal: Challenges and Policy Responses for Sustainable Development

Abstract

<p>Although the Ageing and Health Agenda (AHA) has garnered momentum in the broader context of United Nation's 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), progress in formulation and implementation of appropriate policies in developing countries remains an underexplored subject. This chapter responds to this gap and traces country-specifc AHA related policies and programs in Nepal. Drawing on the World Health Organisations' (WHO) global strategy and action plan on Ageing and Health, this chapter examines how strategic objectives of the plan have manifested in the Nepalese policy landscape in relation to the third SDG – ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. The findings indicate that integrating the AHA agenda into social policies and programs at the country level has been hindered by the lack of: (a) an emphasis on age-friendly environment; (b) an alignment of health systems to the needs of elderly, (c) support for private and not-for-profit sector-led geriatric care initiatives, and (d) initiatives to support and fund research on AHA.</p>