Colombo: Healthy ageing and combating smokeless tobacco are set to be key topics at the Seventy-eighth Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia, hosted by Sri Lanka from 13 to 15 October. Health ministers and senior officials from Member States will also discuss expanding the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) and accelerating action against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
According to News.LK, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Office-In-Charge for WHO South-East Asia, Dr. Catharina Boehme, and other WHO experts are expected to participate in the meeting that will outline the health agenda for the region. The regional governing body meeting aims to adopt resolutions on priority health issues and review progress from previous years, with a declaration on healthy ageing anticipated.
The focus on healthy ageing comes as the proportion of people above 60 years is expected to rise significantly. By 2050, they will account for 20.9% of the region’s population, up from 11.3% in 2024. Strategies to combat smokeless tobacco, electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and areca nut use will be deliberated, as the region bears a significant burden with over 280 million adult smokeless tobacco users and approximately 11 million adolescent tobacco users.
The meeting will also address the expansion of the SEARHEF, which supports lifesaving interventions post-health emergencies and has aided 49 emergencies in 10 Member States since 2008. Discussions will include aligning regional policy actions with global commitments to combat AMR, following milestones like the UN General Assembly’s Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance.
The WHO South-East Asia Region, home to nearly 2 billion people, is focused on enhancing mental health, well-being, and quality of life; investing in women, girls, adolescents, and vulnerable groups; leveraging technology and innovations; and boosting capacity, knowledge management, and research. The goal is to advance health and well-being for all and revive actions to achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).