Latest news with #agingPopulation
Fox News
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Communist country dumps decades-old 2-child policy as birth rates plummet to alarming levels
Vietnam has ended its two-child policy in hopes of a resurgence of youth in an aging population. The communist country's National Assembly passed a new amendment that nullifies families from having a two-child limit, according to state media. Vietnamese families are giving birth to fewer children and the birth rate has declined to 1.91 children per woman in 2024, state media said, and this is a trend that is especially true in the urban areas like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where there are higher living costs. Vietnam's two-child limit originated in the 1960s in Northern Vietnam to help prevent overpopulation, the Guardian reported. After the reunification of Northern and Southern Vietnam, the two-child policy was encouraged throughout the entire country to prevent overpopulation and bring about a "golden population." It wasn't until 1993 that the policy was formalized as a national policy with the goal of controlling overpopulation. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the proportion of citizens under 15 has declined dramatically from 43% to under 25% in comparison to the entire population. The study by the UNFPA shows that the population of citizens aged 15 to 64 years has increased from 53% to 69%. According to a study by birth rates continuously dropped until 2003, and then saw a steady rise until 2013, when the free fall began again. According to state media, Vietnam's "golden population" started in 2007, and is expected to continue between 2038 and 2040. Today, Vietnam's population is estimated to be more than 101 million people, making it the 16th-most populous country globally and third-largest in Southeast Asia. The Ministry of Health noted that gender-selective births have been one of the causes of the gender imbalance in Vietnam. The imbalance of male to female births grew from 103 boys per 100 girls in 2006 to 111 boys per 100 girls in 2024. To help counter this, the ministry has proposed raising the fine from 30 million to 100 million Vietnamese dong — roughly $1,150 to around $4,000 — for gender-selective practices. According to The Associated Press, China imposed a one-child policy in 1979 amid worries about overpopulation. As the country has faced growing concerns about an aging population, it has been slowly easing the policy to allow a second child and then a third child in 2021, but with little success in boosting birthrates.
Khaleej Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Why AI adoption in healthcare is a necessity, not a trend
Across hospitals in the UAE and beyond, diagnostic imaging is one of the most overburdened parts of the healthcare system. Radiologists are expected to interpret thousands of complex scans with speed and accuracy, all while dealing with an aging population, increasingly complex cases, and finite resources. The pressure is real and so are the consequences. Delays in diagnosis can lead to delays in treatment, and in high-stakes scenarios such as strokes, cancers, or internal bleeding, those delays can be life-altering. For years, we've relied solely on human expertise to meet this demand. But we're reaching a point where that model needs reinforcement. Not replacement—reinforcement. That's where AI comes in. From 'Nice to Have' to 'Need to Have' For a long time, AI in healthcare was viewed as an emerging innovation: interesting, potentially useful, but not yet central to care. That perception has shifted. Today, AI is becoming foundational to diagnostic workflows. In radiology departments, AI models can scan images in real time, flagging anomalies that might otherwise take hours or days to surface. They're trained on thousands of cases, and they operate without fatigue, bias, or distraction. This isn't about removing the human element; it's about enhancing it. 'In the Middle East and North Africa, heart disease is responsible for 14% of all deaths—making it one of the leading health threats in the region. At the same time, the number of people living with diabetes is expected to grow by 85% over the next two decades. That's nearly doubling the burden of a disease that already requires constant monitoring, medication, and long-term care. These numbers are a clear signal: chronic conditions are on the rise, and the pressure on health systems in this region is only going to grow. Without smarter, more scalable approaches to care, it's going to be harder and harder to keep up.' A growing number of hospitals in the UAE have begun integrating these tools into their systems not because it's trendy, but because it's necessary. From triaging high-risk patients faster to improving the consistency of diagnoses, the benefits are already being felt. This move toward digitalisation is part of a broader trend seen in the Middle East, with healthcare expenditures in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) predicted to reach $135.5 billion by 2027, buoyed by an increasing adoption of emerging technologies like AI. In fact, Saudi Arabia allocated more than $50 billion in 2023 to improve healthcare efficiency, including investments in digital health services. Recent developments showcased at major regional conferences have also reflected this shift. At Arab Health 2025, AI-powered diagnostic innovations took center stage—among them, MRI and CT systems that leverage deep-learning algorithms to enhance image clarity, reduce scan times, and improve patient throughput. One example included new AI-enhanced ultrasound tools designed to offer faster, more confident assessments at the point of care—critical in high-pressure clinical environments. These systems, already being adopted in select hospitals, illustrate how AI is quietly becoming part of everyday care delivery in the UAE. AI's Role in Speed and Diagnostic Accuracy One of the greatest strengths of AI in diagnostics is speed. A chest X-ray flagged by AI for signs of pneumonia can be moved to the top of the review queue. A brain scan showing signs of hemorrhage can trigger an immediate response. But speed alone isn't the point. The more important contribution AI makes is in reducing diagnostic error. AI, when properly trained and deployed, can act as a second set of eyes—one that's tireless and able to catch the subtleties. Studies from multiple health systems globally are showing that diagnostic accuracy improves when AI and human expertise work together. And when diagnostic quality improves, patient care improves. In fact, research has shown that AI-assisted diagnosis of mammograms can detect 20% more cancers, underscoring the immense potential for AI to enhance diagnostic precision. The UAE is in a Unique Position to Lead Few countries are as well positioned as the UAE to lead the way in AI-powered diagnostics. Government strategies, such as the National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence and the UAE's broader digital health vision, have laid a clear foundation. Hospitals here are technologically advanced, and leadership teams are often more agile in implementing innovation than their counterparts in other regions. The UAE's thriving AI agenda is reflected in the expected growth of its AI market, which, at USD 3.47 billion in 2023, is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43.9% through 2030. We're already seeing pilots and case studies across both public and private health networks that are proving the value of AI. In some cases, it's about improving radiology throughput. In others, it's about extending high-quality diagnostics into under-resourced areas through remote AI interpretation. Emirates Health Services has already integrated AI tools into radiology workflows—particularly in areas like visa screening and mammography, helping shorten turnaround times and easing the burden on physicians. These efforts not only reduce repetitive tasks but also help healthcare professionals focus on higher-value decision-making. Even established providers like American Hospital Dubai have begun incorporating AI-enabled imaging systems in collaboration with tech partners—signaling how AI is moving from pilot to practice. With AI predicted to contribute Dh335 billion to the UAE's GDP by 2030, healthcare applications are set to be a driving force in this economic growth. The Next Chapter: From Diagnostics to Prediction Imaging is just the beginning. To truly understand a patient's health, we can't rely on just one type of data. In modern medicine, we work with a wide range of data types, or what we call multimodal data. Soon, AI will support physicians in anticipating disease rather than reacting to it. Models that analyse not only scans but also clinical histories, lab results, and genomics will provide predictive insights—flagging patients at risk of chronic illnesses or relapse before symptoms appear. This kind of proactive, personalised care could fundamentally change how we approach medicine. But it won't happen automatically. It requires investment, regulation, clinician engagement, and above all, trust in accuracy of AI. AI is no longer just an assistant in the diagnostic room—it's becoming the backbone of a more resilient, more efficient healthcare model. As healthcare expenditure in the GCC continues to rise and the AI sector grows exponentially, hospitals that integrate AI thoughtfully will be faster, safer, and better equipped to handle what comes next. Patients will benefit from earlier interventions, more accurate diagnoses, and a more consistent standard of care, regardless of where they are or who they see. We're not talking about science fiction. This is happening now, and the UAE is on the front foot. The opportunity isn't just to adopt AI. It's to lead with it.
South China Morning Post
28-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong has no time to lose in harnessing the ‘silver economy'
For decades Hong Kong has put religious faith in a free economy that adapts quickly to change. Hence the concept that the market leads, and the government facilitates. Arguably the biggest change over the years is demographic, in the form of an ageing population. Fifty years ago about one in 12 Hongkongers was over 65. Now the ratio is more than one in five, predicted to become one in three by 2043. Advertisement That is one change we have not adapted to. The need to do so is increasingly urgent. The government stepped in when Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced in his policy address last October the setting up of a working group to promote the 'silver economy'. The group, headed by Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk Wing-hing, reported back on Tuesday with proposals to tap into what is now the city's multibillion dollar sector. Cheuk outlined key areas including boosting consumption by the over-65s, developing industries tied to the silver economy, enhancing financial arrangements for the demographic and unleashing the productivity of older residents. Analysts say the plan requires concrete measures to increase elderly participation in the workforce and give them more income, such as a flexible retirement age and better medical insurance. These are practical issues, not a wish list. The demographic reality is that, proportionately, there will be ever fewer people to support ever more elderly, both physically and financially. They are also a force for consumption and productivity that Hong Kong must harness. It offers rich rewards if our economy still has the capacity to adapt to change, which is key to its resilience. It is time for the government to show the way as well as smooth the path ahead. Advertisement As the elderly have become healthier, wealthier and better educated, they have created a huge demand for products and services in medical and healthcare, leisure and recreation, and home and personal care. Spending by the over-60s was put at HK$342 billion in 2024, or about 11 per cent of the city's gross domestic product.
RNZ News
21-05-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Au Pair agency offers companionship for the elderly
Photo: LDR / Chloe Ranford The loneliness epidemic is growing among our aging population - a 2024 study by Age Concern found 59% of people aged 65 plus have felt lonely recently. But one fast-growing solution has come from an unlikely place. Tanya Burrage has run an au pair agency for twenty years, but recently expanded her services to offer support and companionship to the elderly. The idea came from her own client base who'd previously hired au pairs for their children - now their parents are aging, and they need someone to check in on them.
Wall Street Journal
13-05-2025
- Health
- Wall Street Journal
The Latest in Hernia Repair: New Techniques, New Research
Hernias can be an unnerving manifestation of the body's wear and tear, creating a sudden bulge in the groin or abdomen when part of an internal organ or tissue—such as the intestine—pushes through the surrounding muscle or tissue. As the population ages, the incidence of hernias is increasing in the U.S. And research shows several age-related factors, such as weakened abdominal muscles, can make hernias harder to treat successfully. Researchers at the University of Michigan's Michigan Medicine found that about 1 in 6 older Americans who had undergone an operation to repair a hernia had repeat surgery less than 10 years later.
