The WHO South-East Asia Region, including India, on Tuesday adopted the Colombo Declaration on ‘Healthy Ageing through Strengthened Primary Health Care’, aimed at improving the health and well-being of the region’s ageing population, which is projected to double by 2050. The proportion of people aged 60 years and above is expected to rise from 11.3% in 2024 to 20.9% by 2050.
“Older people, when in good health and with functional ability, are vital assets and continue to enrich families, communities, societies and economies. Primary health care is the most inclusive, effective, and efficient pathway to achieve universal health coverage ensuring that older people can live long, healthy, productive and meaningful lives,” said Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-In-Charge for WHO South-East Asia, during a ministerial round table in Colombo, where the Declaration was adopted at the ongoing 78th Regional Committee session.
India’s delegation at the WHO SEARO meeting was led by Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Anupriya Patel, who reaffirmed the country’s commitment to integrated, rights-based, and gender-sensitive care for older persons. She also highlighted the importance of strengthening data systems and leveraging digital health innovations to enhance elderly care.
The Colombo Declaration urges countries to embed healthy ageing into national policies and primary healthcare-oriented health systems. It advocates for accessible, equitable, integrated, and age-responsive services spanning health promotion, disease prevention, rehabilitation, long-term care, and palliative services.
“The Ministerial Declaration is a framework for concrete action, aligned closely with the Regional Strategy for Healthy Ageing 2024–2030, which identifies four priority areas - combating ageism, fostering enabling environments, delivering integrated person-centred care, and ensuring access to long-term care. Together, these form a comprehensive foundation on which Member States can strengthen and build policies and programmes that effectively respond to the realities of ageing,” Dr Boehme added.
The Declaration further emphasizes the strengthening of the health and care workforce by developing geriatric and gender-sensitive competencies, supporting paid and unpaid caregivers, and enabling multidisciplinary, community-based teams to deliver high-quality care across all stages of life.
It also calls for adequate resource allocation for older persons through innovative financing, public-private partnerships, and cross-ministerial cost-sharing mechanisms to ensure financial protection and universal coverage. “Lasting progress will depend on increased domestic investment. Healthy ageing must be embedded in national budgets, health plans, and social protection systems,” Dr Boehme said.
“Broader partnerships are essential. Development banks, civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, and philanthropies have vital roles to play in mobilising resources, driving innovation, and scaling solutions,” she added.
The Declaration highlights person-centred, right-based, and gender-sensitive care, strengthened data systems to guide programs, and the use of digital health solutions to improve access, efficiency, and quality. Member States also committed to combat ageism through inclusive policies, public awareness, education, and intergenerational initiatives aimed at fostering respect, dignity, and solidarity.
“Let us move forward with a shared purpose. Together, we can build inclusive, resilient, and sustainable health and care systems - systems that uphold dignity, ensure security, and provide purpose to older persons for generations to come,” Dr Boehme concluded.
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