The impact of a child's disease can be devastating for elderly parents. Unfortunately,
relatives have such low incomes that they do not have adequate funds for treatment, care
giving, and funeral expenses. The economic impact of HIV/AIDS for families is severe.
Significant numbers of older persons are being left to care for orphans, and the economic
hardship of caregiver households naturally also affects the orphans they are caring for.
The resurgence of deaths from tuberculosis and pneumonia associated with
HIV/AIDS calls into question the traditional model of epidemiological transition, which
holds that infectious disease death rates continuously decline over time. The Conference
also considered a number of other emerging health threats of relevance to the region. For
instance, the introduction of new, high-energy content foods and adoption of a more
sedentary lifestyle appears to lead to the emergence of obesity as a health problem in
some countries. Per capita cigarette consumption continues to rise in the region, and data
analysis suggests that increases in price may not be very effective at reducing demand for
cigarettes in poor countries. The ageing of populations is also bringing to the fore the
problem of chronic and disabling diseases, such as stroke, and the requirements for longterm
care of the disabled elderly.
International and Internal Migration
Six sessions were held on migration processes within the region and to parts
outside of the region. These sessions focused on a range of issues, including trends in
migration and urbanisation, the causes and social consequences of international female
labour migration, the influence of national age structure on international migration trends
through labour force demand and supply, causes and social consequences of immigration
into fragile eco-systems (highlands, rainforests and coastal areas), whether internal and
international migrations promote conflict among ethnic groups or between immigrants
and local populations, and policy measures that shape internal and international
migration.