ASEAN Launches ASHA 2026-2030 To Bolster Regional Health Resilience

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 10 (Bernama) -- 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.

In his introductory remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community San Lwin congratulated all member states and health sectors on the rollout of the agenda.

“This important framework for health cooperation in ASEAN for the next five years is a testament to our shared commitment to ensuring ASEAN people's health as fundamental to building a peaceful, prosperous and resilient ASEAN community. 

“Health and wellbeing are closely connected to our security, social cohesion and economic development. In our pursuit of the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, health will be central to building a resilient, innovative, dynamic and people-centred ASEAN Community where no one is left behind,” he said.

He said this in his introductory remarks at the launch of ASHA 2026-2030 here today, which was also attended by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, who is also Chair of the 17th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting (AHMM).

San Lwin emphasised that ASHA 2026-2030 builds on the successful implementation of the ASEAN Post-2015 Development Agenda 2021-2025, providing a renewed approach to collective efforts towards realising the vision of healthier ASEAN communities.

Under the newly launched framework, he said ASEAN would focus on 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.

He said the four ASEAN health clusters, which focus on promoting healthy lifestyles, responding to all hazards and emerging threats, strengthening health systems and access to care, and ensuring food safety, will remain the core pillars of the agenda.

He stressed that ASHA 2026-2030 is not simply a sectoral roadmap, but a shared commitment to working together, strengthening partnerships and translating regional commitments into measurable and tangible results for the people of ASEAN.

“It is a shared commitment to work better together, strengthening partnerships, and translating regional commitments into measurable and tangible results for the peoples of ASEAN,” he said.

The launch of the agenda is among the strategic focuses of the five-day conference, which marks 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, with Malaysia as chair and Myanmar as vice-chair.

-- BERNAMA