Health experts have warned that Sri Lanka’s rapidly ageing population is creating new medical and social challenges, as the country faces one of the fastest rates of elderly population growth in Asia.
Geriatrics specialist Dr. Sithira Seneviratne of the Colombo National Hospital said falls caused by frailty among older adults have now been recognized as a disease, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen elderly healthcare and preventive programmes.
According to Community Health Specialist Dr. Nishani Ubayasekara, Sri Lanka’s elderly population — those aged 60 and above — has increased from 12% in 2012 to 18% in 2024, and is projected to reach 25% by 2040, meaning one in four Sri Lankans will be elderly.
She noted that the trend is driven by rising life expectancy and declining birth rates, and warned that Sri Lanka has been identified as having one of the highest elderly population growth rates among Asian nations.
