SDG 3: Good Health & Well-Being | SDG 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Health & Family Welfare | Ministry of Electronics & IT
At the 15th APEC High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, held in Seoul on 15β16 September 2025, Asia-Pacific health ministers underscored how demographic change-especially rapidly ageing populations-and rising chronic diseases are stressing health systems. They committed to strengthening health system resilience through digital technologies, innovation, healthy ageing policies, and improved mental health services. Ministers launched three major initiatives: the APEC Regional Dashboard on Vaccination Across the Life-Course, a Roadmap to Advance Dengue Prevention & Control (2026β2030), and a Roadmap to Accelerate Cervical Cancer Elimination (2026β2030). The meeting also emphasized AI-driven diagnostics, digital health literacy, and equitable access to innovation.
As economies confront ageing populations and growing disease burdens, this APEC agenda shows health policy is increasingly intertwined with digital infrastructure and innovation. For India, this dovetails with existing priorities like Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, boosting preventive care, and scaling vaccination & cancer control programs. Indian ministries must align regulatory, technological, and human-resource frameworks to harness digital health tools and ensure inclusive access.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
How can India ensure digital health policies keep pace with demographic shifts, making diagnostics, vaccine access, cancer screening, and mental health support both innovative and equitable, especially for rural and underserved populations?
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https://www.apec.org/press/news-releases/2025/demographic-change-and-digital-innovation-shape-asia-pacific-s-health-agenda