Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 26 June 2024 – Under the motto “Health is the best investment”, the first-ever Central Asia International Health Investment Forum is bringing together international, regional and national stakeholders to highlight the transformative potential of health investments for sustainable development across the 5 WHO Member States of Central Asia. Hosted under the patronage of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and organized by the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Ministry of Health of the Kyrgyz Republic, this two-day event aims to showcase best practices and innovative health investment strategies that align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), for example through public-private partnerships or the use of digital health tools to improve efficiency. At the Forum, Dr Hans Henri P.
Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, commented, “There’s a reason that we are here, in the heart of Central Asia. While the rest of the WHO European Region is rapidly ageing, this region has a significant young and educated population – with roughly half of people under the age of 30. This will – if the youth potential is maximized – give Central Asia an edge in the decades ahead.
Meanwhile, economic growth remains solid. GDP overall is expected to increase by 4.1% this year, higher than any other part of the WHO European Region.
These two indicators – demographics and economics – provide Central Asia with a unique opportunity to turbo boost its .
