Ageing population puts prevention and health security higher on UAE agenda
 

(DUBAI) - Governments are facing growing pressure to strengthen health security while tackling chronic disease as ageing populations increase demand for healthcare and social services, with the UAE expecting a sharp rise in the number of people aged 60 and over.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the global population aged 60 and over will more than double, from 1 billion in 2019 to 2.1 billion by 2050, requiring changes across health and social care systems.

The increase is expected to be particularly pronounced in the United Arab Emirates. The population aged 60 and over is projected to rise from about 311,000, or 3.1% of the population, in 2020 to around 2 million, or 19.7%, by 2050, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates.

The demographic shift is prompting the UAE to expand its focus on prevention and healthy ageing. In Dubai, the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33) and Dubai Social Agenda 33 underpin the newly established Dubai Longevity Authority, which is tasked with developing a regulated ecosystem for prevention, healthy ageing and healthcare investment.

At the federal level, the National Strategy for Wellbeing 2031, aligned with UAE Centennial 2071, identifies health and wellbeing as key components of the country's long-term development.

The ageing trend comes as governments face the combined challenge of preparing for acute health threats and containing the rising burden of chronic diseases. Health authorities are increasingly looking at prevention, preparedness and long-term population health as linked priorities.

These issues will form part of the agenda at WHX Leaders, an invitation-only ministerial summit due to take place in Dubai on Jan. 26, 2027, as part of World Healthcare Week.

Held under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP), the summit is expected to bring together health ministers, global institutions, sovereign investors and healthcare executives under the theme “Health 2050: Designing the Next Era of Proactive Systems – Resilient Nations. Thriving Lives.”

The program will focus on two areas: health security and healthspan.

The health security agenda will examine preparedness for future threats, including predictive intelligence, financing, biosecurity, diagnostic capacity, strategic supply chains and global health diplomacy.

The healthspan agenda will focus on reducing chronic disease through prevention, early intervention, precision medicine, healthy ageing and national health strategies aimed at extending years of healthy life.

David Lynn, Chief Executive Officer of inD, which is organizing the event, said the summit would bring policymakers and healthcare leaders together to develop partnerships and measurable outcomes.

The 2027 meeting follows the inaugural WHX Leaders summit in Dubai in February 2026, which focused on prevention, health data, technology, equity and collaboration in healthcare.

At that meeting, Shaista Asif, Group Chief Executive Officer of PureHealth, said healthcare systems needed to move beyond expanding hospital capacity and focus more on prevention and longer, healthier lives.

Dimitris Moulavasilis, Group Chief Executive Officer of M42, said genomics, artificial intelligence and other technologies could help countries with limited health data and resources develop more preventive healthcare models.

WHX Leaders will be held as part of World Healthcare Week, which runs from Jan. 25-28, 2027, at Dubai Exhibition Centre, Dubai Expo City, and Dubai World Trade Centre.

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