The big squeeze on health care—how shifting demographics and geographical divide are reshaping policy

Our world is changing fast, and so are our healthcare needs. Demographic shifts—rapidly aging populations, falling birth rates, swift urbanization—along with an increasing non-communicable disease (NCD) burden are pushing our health systems to focus on chronic disease management and long-term elderly care. Furthermore, the diverse geographies of many countries exacerbate the disparities in health status, access, and outcomes between different locations, such as urban versus rural areas. These problems are particularly acute in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), whose populations...