Addressing the Urgency for Healthy Aging in Sri Lanka: Policy Dialogues.

Abstract: One in every four Sri Lankans will be an older person by the year 2041 with an increasing share of the very old elderly. The share of the population aged 65 years and above is projected to rise leading to an increase of the old age dependency ratio with female preponderance. With this demographic transition, and epidemiological profile dominated by noncommunicable disease, the health system warrants major changes to meet new demands. Policy dialogue on healthy aging was initiated with the aim of providing impactful support to build better and resilient primary healthcare-centered health system. The dialogue contributed to improve evidence-based decision-making, which entails creating the platforms supporting pathways between key stakeholders. Key issues to explore through policy dialogue were framed from the available evidence and desk reviews, that included examining policy-related literature and considered the ongoing primary healthcare reorientation in Sri Lanka. The methodology adopted for dialogue on healthy aging enriched by a comprehensive context review led to focused technical dialogues that aided the construction of a conceptual model to be considered within the current overall health structure being reoriented.