No Country Has All the Answers, But Every Country Has Lessons to Share

COLOMBO (News 1st); Climate change, dengue outbreaks, ageing populations, growing chronic illnesses, pressure on health workforces, and the impact of digital platforms on children are among the most pressing threats confronting South-East Asia, Sri Lanka's Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, warned as he called for stronger regional cooperation to protect the health and wellbeing of millions across the region.

Addressing the 79th Session of the World Health Organization's South-East Asia Regional Committee in Dili, Timor-Leste, Dr. Jayatissa said the region was at a critical moment, facing challenges that transcend national borders and require collective solutions.

"This session comes at a significant time for our region," he said, noting that while South-East Asian countries differ in geography, population size, economic circumstances and health systems, they are increasingly confronted by the same threats.

He identified demographic ageing, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, persistent and emerging infectious diseases, climate change, health emergencies, workforce shortages and rapid technological transformation as some of the key challenges shaping the future of healthcare across the region.

Despite these challenges, Dr. Jayatissa said member states remain united by a common objective: ensuring that every person has access to the health services they need without suffering financial hardship.

As Chairperson of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee, he said he had been encouraged over the past year by the spirit of solidarity and cooperation demonstrated by member states, describing the Regional Committee as a vital platform through which countries identify common priorities, review progress and guide collective action.

"The decisions taken by this committee reflect our collective will and carry both authority and responsibility," he said. "No country has all the answers, but every country has experiences and lessons that can contribute to strengthening health across our region."

Reflecting on Sri Lanka's role as host of the 78th Session of the Regional Committee in Colombo in October 2025, Dr. Jayatissa highlighted two major outcomes that continue to hold relevance for the region.

The first was the Colombo Declaration on Healthy Ageing, which recognized the need for stronger primary healthcare systems, people-centred services, multi-sectoral action and age-friendly environments as populations continue to age across the region.

The second was a regional resolution on health humanities in professional education and training, which emphasized that scientific and technological excellence must be accompanied by empathy, compassion and respect for human dignity.

According to Dr. Jayatissa, both initiatives underscore a fundamental principle that should continue to guide health policy.

"Our health systems must remain centred on people," he said.

He noted that this principle is reflected in Sri Lanka's ongoing health sector reforms and in the forthcoming National Policy on Health and Wellbeing Sri Lanka 2026-2035, which places people, communities and wellbeing at the centre of health development.

He also highlighted the role of the country's Arogya Health and Wellness Centres in strengthening primary healthcare services and pointed out that Sri Lanka this year marked 100 years of organized community health services, describing it as a reminder of the importance of sustained investments in prevention and strong public health institutions.

Turning to future priorities, Dr. Jayatissa identified four major challenges requiring greater regional attention and coordinated action.

Foremost among them was climate change, which he described as an increasingly significant health security threat for South-East Asia.

Referring to the impact of Cyclone Ditwah in late 2025, he noted that Sri Lanka had experienced many of the same challenges affecting countries across the region, including floods, landslides, extreme weather, unsafe water supplies, disease outbreaks and disruptions to essential health services.

These pressures, he said, are placing growing strain on both communities and health systems.

As a result, he called for stronger efforts to climate-proof healthcare facilities, improve early warning and early action systems, safeguard critical health services and develop more coordinated regional responses to climate-related health emergencies.

Dr. Jayatissa also warned that dengue continues to pose a serious regional threat, with recurring outbreaks placing increasing pressure on health systems across South-East Asia.

"The region has yet to make concerted efforts towards sustainable control and prevention of dengue," he said, urging countries to pursue a more coordinated and multi-sectoral response.

Another priority identified by the Minister was the need for stronger dialogue on health and wellbeing through greater emphasis on prevention, health promotion and multi-sectoral cooperation under the Banyan Framework.

He further warned about the growing influence of digital environments on children and adolescents, calling for stronger engagement with social media and technology companies to create safer digital spaces for younger generations.

According to Dr. Jayatissa, the health, safety and wellbeing of children increasingly depend on regional cooperation in addressing risks emerging from the digital world.

He stressed that none of these challenges can be effectively addressed by individual countries acting alone.

"These challenges transcend national boundaries and require shared learning, coordinated action and strengthened regional cooperation," he said.

Dr. Jayatissa emphasized that the region stands to benefit enormously from sharing evidence, experiences and innovation, noting that the success of one member state can offer valuable lessons for another, while supporting countries facing emergencies or resource constraints ultimately strengthens the health security of the entire South-East Asian region.