Al-Thawra: one million elderly in Syria

Chairman of the Elderly Health Department in the Health Ministry Mohammed Isam Shabban has stressed that the number of the elderly in Syria who are above 60 years old has reached one million, al-Thawra daily said Thursday.

He added that they constitute 5,7 % of the total population and their number is increasing due to the development of the medical sciences, increased health consciousness, combating diseases and epidemics, and the increasing age to which citizens live to an average of 71.2 years, al-Thawra added.

On the Elderly International Day which coincides today, Shabban pointed out that the elderly constitute an important section of the Syrian society, since they participated in the development and building process during their life span.

Health Ministry is working hard to save integrated health care for them through setting up more than 760 health centers in all the Syrian governorates, in addition to the formation of a National Committee for the Elderly Care headed by Minister of Health.