The Academic Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association “Alzheimer’s and Dementia” published the paper “Investing in equitable healthy aging: Why Africa must reform social pension schemes to improve Alzheimer’s disease and dementia outcomes” co-authored by EMEA President, Professor at Bayes Business School, City University of London and Senior CEPS Advisor, Prof. Rym Ayadi; EMEA Advisor, lead and senior fellow in neuro-policy with Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public policy, Dr. Harris A. Eyre; and EMEA Expert, Prof. Najat El Mekkaoui, Professor in Economics at the University Paris Dauphine PSL.
The paper highlights that the eligibility criteria for social pension schemes in Africa hinder equitable and healthy aging. In 2019, women in 14 sub-Saharan African countries had an average life expectancy of 67 years but a healthy life expectancy of only 57 years, leaving them 5 years in poor health before receiving a pension at age 62. Men had a similar situation—a life expectancy of 62 years and a healthy life expectancy of 53 years, spending 10 years in poor health before becoming eligible for pensions at age 63. Many men do not receive pensions due to early death. Delays and low pension payouts contribute to a 2.5% increase in the death rate from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Paper authors: Cyprian M. Mostert, Najat EL Mekkaoui, Shehzad Ali, Dominic Trepel, Kirti Randcord, Chinedu Udeh-Momoh, Olivera Nesic, Karen Blackmon, Mary Karanja, Thomas Thesen, David Andai, Rym Ayadi, Harris Eyre, Zul Merali
