Sri Lanka is a country with one of the fastest-growing ageing populations in the Asian region, while new births are on the decline in Sri Lanka. Noting this, the Health Ministry yesterday (29) stressed that these two factors call for greater attention to the health of the elderly.

The Ministry’s Directorate of Youth, Elderly and Disabled Persons’ Director and Community Medical Specialist Dr. Nishani Ubeysekara discussed this challenge during a press briefing held by the Ministry’s Health Promotion Bureau.

“Sri Lanka considers people over the age of 60 as elders. According to the census conducted in 2012, only 12% of the population fell into this category, while last year’s (2024) census shows that this figure has risen to 18%. However, projections indicate that it will surge to 25% by 2040 if the current trend continues, and that means one in every four persons,” she said, adding that Sri Lankans having a high life expectancy and declining birth rates are two reasons behind this situation.

She said that while the health authorities view the elderly population as an asset as they are mature, they face various challenges including health issues such as the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases and hearing and vision-related disabilities, poverty, loneliness, mental issues, and dementia.