Kuala lumpur: The ASEAN Strategic Health Agenda (ASHA) 2026-2030 has been officially launched today as a key five-year framework to strengthen regional public health resilience, enhance healthcare access, and bolster cooperation across member states.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community San Lwin extended his congratulations to all member states and health sectors on the rollout of the agenda. He highlighted the framework's significance for health cooperation in ASEAN over the next five years, emphasizing its role in ensuring the health of ASEAN people as fundamental to building a peaceful, prosperous, and resilient ASEAN community.
San Lwin pointed out the vital link between health and wellbeing and the region's security, social cohesion, and economic development. He emphasized that health will play a central role in achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, aiming to build a resilient, innovative, dynamic, and people-centred ASEAN Community where no one is left behind.
He delivered these remarks at the launch of ASHA 2026-2030, attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, Chair of the 17th ASEAN Health Ministers' Meeting (AHMM). San Lwin noted that ASHA 2026-2030 builds on the successes of the ASEAN Post-2015 Development Agenda 2021-2025, providing a renewed approach to realizing healthier ASEAN communities.
The framework prioritizes several core areas, including strengthening equitable and resilient health systems, advancing access to quality health services, promoting health and well-being, ensuring people's safety and stability, and enhancing preparedness and response to public health emergencies. The four ASEAN health clusters, focusing on promoting healthy lifestyles, responding to emerging threats, strengthening health systems, and ensuring food safety, will remain central to the agenda.
San Lwin stressed that ASHA 2026-2030 represents a shared commitment to collaboration, partnership strengthening, and translating regional commitments into measurable and tangible outcomes for the ASEAN people. The launch of the agenda is a strategic focus of the five-day conference, marking a milestone for Malaysia as it hosts the meetings for the first time in 22 years, since 2004.
The 17th AHMM, themed 'Healthy ASEAN: Together Towards Equitable, Future-Ready Health Systems,' is being held in Kuala Lumpur from Sept 7 to 11, chaired by Malaysia with Myanmar as vice-chair.