Libya | Programme areas | Age friendly city

Age friendly city

Print PDF

Al-Zawya age-friendly primary health careAl-Zawya age-friendly primary health care. Photo credit: WHOIn an effort to address the environmental and social factors that contribute to active and health ageing in societies, Al-Zawyia age friendly city project was launched in 2012. An age-friendly city encourages active ageing by optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance the quality of life as people age.

In practical terms, an age-friendly city adapts its structures and services to be accessible to, and inclusive of older people with varying needs and capacities.

WHO country office support

The WHO country office provided a series of technical support missions in Al-Zawyia city, Tripoli to facilitate the implementation of the WHO age friendly city project in cooperation with the Libyan national centre for disease control.

The city adapted its infrastructure and primary health care services to the WHO age friendly cities guidelines. The country office also conducted several orientation workshops to familiarize the Ministry of Health staff members with the WHO related guidelines.

The Ministry of Health has officially inaugurated a number of age friendly primary health care units in Al Zawyia. The development of a monitoring and evaluation tool for the regular assessment of the services is underway.

The WHO country office is currently working closely with elderly health unit at the national centre for disease control, to develop a capacity building strategy for health professional in the field of elderly health with focus on age friendly primary health care facilities.

Related links

WHO global network of age-friendly cities and communities

WHO Eastern Mediterranean network of age-friendly cities

10 facts on ageing and the life course

Related publications

Global age-friendly cities and communities: a guide

Checklist of essential features of age-friendly cities 

WHO Global Network of age-friendly cities

Age-friendly primary health care centres toolkit

The Dublin Declaration on age-friendly cities and communities [pdf 2.82kb]

A strategy for active, healthy ageing and old age care in the Eastern Mediterranean Region 2006–2015 [pdf 787.85kb]

Related programmes

Health promotion and education

Health of the elderly