Healthcare of Aging Population of Kuwait

Kuwait is the fifth richest nation in the world and it has almost 10 % of world crude oil reserves. The total population of Kuwait in mid-2011 was 2,818,000 and is expected to increase by 17.5 % by the year 2025 and by 82.26 % by the year 2050. As of 2010, the annual population growth was 3.4 % and the total fertility rate per women was 2.3. The total government expenditure on health as a percentage of total expenditure on health stood at 83.9 % while the private expenditure on health as a percentage of total expenditure on health stood at 16.1 %. Due to the continued improvement of the health care delivery system in Kuwait, while the percent of aged population aged 65 and beyond was 2.83 % of the total population in the year mid-2011, and this will increase to 4.41 % of the total population by the year mid-2025 and will dramatically increase to 17.90 % of the total population by the year mid-2050. This population aging reflects a human success story of increased longevity in Kuwait. However, the chronic noncommunicable diseases are on rise and are now the major cause of death among older people in Kuwait. Given these improvements in the population demography, the political, economic, and social leadership of Kuwait would need to re-visit and update the policies and programs that will reduce the burden of aging populations on the society and its economy. The improvement of the public health system should lead to enhancement in the availability of health and social services for older persons and promote their continuing participation in a socially and economically productive life in Kuwait.