By yprian M. Mostert, Catherine Ajalo & David Andai

We appreciate the thoughtful feedback from scholars who suggest thatwe should have used life expectancy at age 45 or 25 to support ourargument for pension reforms in Africa. While life expectancy at thesespecific ages provides an average estimate of the remaining lifespan, itdoes not capture the nuances of individual survival probabilities, mak-ing it less reliable for certain analyses. This remains a debated topic inthe literature.1,2 Life expectancy at birth, on the other hand, is the morecommonly used metric for national and international comparisons.3Therefore, we opted for this more conventional approach in our anal-ysis to sidestep potential contentious discussions that could arise fromalternative metrics

The suggestion that we presented an overly optimistic view of Euro-pean pensions does not accurately reflect our intended message. In2020, ≈96.7% of the European and Central Asian population werepension beneficiaries.4This statistic is strikingly high compared to the27.1% found in Africa.4Furthermore, Europe enjoys the advantageof higher pension payouts, lower unemployment, decent-paying jobs,and a more robust socioeconomic position. These factors contributeto healthier aging and improve health outcomes among older adults inEurope compared to Africa.

Indeed, the failure to reform pensions will have dire consequences,including a rise in dementia prevalence. This presents significantopportunity costs that must be addressed, as pension income servesas a protective factor against various health issues, including demen-tia. Policy makers must be made aware of these policy dynamics, as thebenefits of such reforms can extend beyond mere financial stability toencompass overall health improvements across the life span.5In ourongoing comparative analysis of 10 African and Latin American coun-tries, we are uncovering the significant role pensions play in avertingdementia and enhancing the quality of life for the elderly population(see Table 1).

Source : Researchgate