Nearly 18 percent of Sri Lanka’s population is now aged 60 and above, signaling a clear trend of population ageing, said “,”Prof. Manori Weeratunga”,”population association of sri lanka president”], President of the Population Association of Sri Lanka.
She made these remarks at the annual Population Conference organized by the Sri Lanka Society of Population Scholars, held recently at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Conference Hall in Colombo. The event, themed “Population Dynamics: Challenges and Opportunities,” brought together scholars, policymakers, researchers, development professionals, and students to discuss key demographic issues in Sri Lanka and the wider region, emphasizing evidence-based dialogue to support national development.
Prof. Weeratunga highlighted that Sri Lanka’s rapidly transforming population structure requires stronger population health management systems. While the country has made significant gains in life expectancy, she stressed the importance of improving healthy life expectancy and addressing the growing burden of chronic non-communicable diseases.
She noted gaps in healthy lifestyle adoption, early disease detection, and regular health monitoring, with many individuals seeking medical care only after severe symptoms appear. To address these challenges, she called for robust disease detection mechanisms, digital integration of health services, and a life-course approach to healthcare delivery.
Prof. Weeratunga also pointed out declining fertility rates and a reduction in youth population childbearing trends as part of broader demographic shifts.
Phuntsho Wangyel from the United Nations Population Fund, who also spoke at the conference, emphasized the need for strategic policy responses to address emerging demographic challenges.
