As people age, they are more likely to experience chronic illnesses such as hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes and heart disease that require regular medical attention. Yet many older adults can’t afford healthcare.
This is particularly true in low- and middle-income countries. In 2019 Zambia introduced a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to help more people access healthcare and move the country closer to universal health coverage. The United Nations defines universal health coverage as “all people having access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship”.
