Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region have adopted the Colombo Declaration on ‘Healthy Ageing through Strengthened Primary Health Care’, aimed at enhancing the health and quality of life of the region’s ageing population, which is expected to nearly double by 2050.

The declaration emphasises integrating healthy ageing into national policies and ensuring equitable, accessible, and age-responsive services across the full continuum of care, from health promotion and prevention to rehabilitation, long-term care, and palliative services.

The adoption took place during a Ministerial Round Table held yesterday (14) in Colombo as part of the 78th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia. The three-day conference, which began on October 13 and concludes today (15), brings together Health Ministers, senior officials, and experts from across the region to discuss strengthening primary healthcare and promoting well-being across the South-East Asia region, which has a population of nearly two billion.

Delivering the keynote address, WHO South-East Asia Officer-In-Charge Dr. Catharina Boehme, highlighted that older people in good health are “vital assets who continue to enrich families, communities, societies, and economies.” She described primary healthcare as the most inclusive, effective, and efficient pathway to achieving universal health coverage, enabling older individuals to live long, productive, and meaningful lives. Dr. Boehme noted that the Colombo Declaration aligns with the Regional Strategy for Healthy Ageing 2024–2030, which prioritises combating ageism, fostering enabling environments, delivering person-centred care, and ensuring access to long-term care.

Dr. Boehme further emphasised the importance of building a healthcare workforce with geriatric and gender-sensitive competencies, supporting caregivers, and developing community-based multidisciplinary teams to deliver high-quality care to older persons.

She also stressed the need for sustainable financing, urging governments to allocate adequate resources, explore innovative funding mechanisms, and integrate healthy ageing into national budgets and social protection systems. “Broader partnerships are essential,” she said. “Development banks, civil society, the private sector, and academic institutions all have vital roles in mobilising resources, driving innovation, and scaling solutions.”

Chairing the session, Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa praised the country’s robust primary healthcare system, attributing its success to the dedication of healthcare professionals in disease prevention and public well-being.

He highlighted the Government’s ‘Arogya Suwatha Centres’ initiative, aimed at enhancing community health nationwide, and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to sharing expertise and collaborating with regional partners to build a healthier and more resilient South-East Asia.