Advancing ASEAN Health Equity and Social Determinants Policy
Professor Sumit Kane from the Nossal Institute for Global Health, was invited to speak at the recent ASEAN SOMSWD in Phnom Penh, to share his expertise in health systems and social determinants of health with senior government officials from ASEAN Member States.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD) is a key platform for regional cooperation on social welfare and development within ASEAN. Professor Sumit Kane from the Nossal Institute for Global Health, was invited to speak at the recent ASEAN SOMSWD in Phnom Penh, to share his expertise in health systems and social determinants of health with senior government officials from ASEAN Member States.
SOMSWD's mandate is to implement ASEAN's commitment to fostering cooperation in social development aimed at raising the standard of living for disadvantaged groups. A high-level SOMSWD meeting in Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia on 21-22 May 2025, discussed the operationalisation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action on Implementing the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Ageing and focussed on recommending approaches to improve access and opportunities for health and care of older persons in the ASEAN region. Prof Kane’s research on health systems responsiveness and addressing health inequities provided valuable insights for the policy makers.
The workshop was organised by the Department of Cooperation and the Department of Elderly and Veterans of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation (MoSVY) of the Royal Government of Cambodia with support from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), in collaboration with the Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE) and the ASEAN Secretariat.
A total of 49 participants attended the workshop, including SOMSWD Focal Points from eight ASEAN Member States: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, along with representatives from Timor-Leste and the ASEAN Secretariat. The meeting also saw participation from the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI), development partners such as UNFPA, UNESCAP, WHO, HelpAge Cambodia, Tsao Foundation, and experts from the University of Melbourne and the Academy of Science Malaysia.
The recommendations from the meeting are aimed at advancing practical actions and stronger partnerships to deliver improved access to health and social services for older persons.
Professor Sumit Kane heads the Social & Economic Determinants of Health team at University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health. His research explores equity, quality, and responsiveness of low- and middle-income country health systems.