OECD report warns of healthcare strain from aging in Latin America

A report titled ‘Health at a Glance: Latin America and the Caribbean 2026’, published by the OECD in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, warns that unprecedented demographic transitions are straining healthcare systems across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The proportion of adults over 65 is projected to nearly double by 2050, reaching 18.1% of the population. Additionally, the share of people aged 80 or older is expected to rise from 1.8% to 4.9%. This shift is occurring alongside a high rate of preventable mortality, which stood at 297 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, compared to the OECD average of 162.

The region currently relies on approximately 25 million unpaid caregivers—60% of whom are women—versus only 3 million paid caregivers. To maintain current care levels as the population ages, the number of informal caregivers would need to reach 60.5 million by 2050. The report advocates for strengthening long-term care systems by professionalizing the paid workforce and providing better support for family caregivers to address rising rates of chronic diseases and dementia.