COLOMBO ; Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, represented India at the Ministerial Roundtable of the 78th Session of the WHO Regional Committee of South-East Asia which was held in Colombo during 13-15 October, 2025. During the Ministerial Meeting, the deliberations centered around the theme “Healthy Ageing through strengthened primary health care.”
- India reaffirmed its continued commitment to promoting Healthy Ageing through strengthened Primary Healthcare, based on a comprehensive and people-centric system for the elderly.
- Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel highlighted that with 153 million citizens aged 60 years and above, India is witnessing a major demographic transition and to ensure that elderly receive equitable, accessible and affordable health care services tailored to their needs, Government of India has taken several important measures.
- At the regional roundtable, India called for enhanced regional cooperation among WHO South-East Asia member states to strengthen the integration of Primary Health Care and Long-Term Care (PHC–LTC). India proposed three key areas of collaboration:
a) Establishing a regional platform for knowledge sharing and innovation on PHC–LTC integration;
b) Investing in capacity building and training programmes for the geriatric and caregiving workforce across countries; and
c) Promoting technological innovations and health solutions that support independent and dignified living for older adults. - Reaffirming India’s alignment with the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030), the Hon’ble Minister of State emphasized that ageing must be viewed as an opportunity for inclusive growth and social transformation. India remains committed to ensuring that every stage of life, including old age, is lived with dignity, security and care.
- The Hon’ble Minister also delivered her remarks, alongside Hon. Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media of Sri Lanka, at a side event on Digital Health co-hosted by the Governments of India and Sri Lanka. The hybrid event showcased the progress achieved by WHO South-East Asia Member States in developing and implementing digital health architecture blueprints, and served as a platform to exchange best practices, address shared challenges, and foster cross-country collaboration to advance digital health transformation across the Region.
