APEC Launches Roadmap to Tackle Escalating Cardiovascular Disease Burden

Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading cause of death, prompting APEC economies to endorse a new roadmap to strengthen cardiovascular health and economic resilience across the Asia-Pacific on the sidelines of the Third APEC Senior Officials’ Meeting.

Claiming 19.8 million lives in 2022 globally, cardiovascular disease is placing a growing burden on health systems, households and economies. Health practitioners and policymakers in APEC’s Health Working Group are warning how population aging and rising rates of hypertension, obesity and diabetes are adding further strain.

Led by Thailand, with Peru and the Philippines as co-sponsors, the roadmap gives APEC economies an evidence-based guide to strengthening cardiovascular healthcare across the full care continuum, from prevention and early detection to treatment, long-term recovery and enhancing health systems.

Reflecting on the milestone, Dr Junghwan Park, the Chair of the APEC Health Working Group said, "This roadmap, the first of its kind in APEC, marks a critical shift in how we approach cardiovascular health, not merely as a shared clinical challenge, but as a foundational pillar of economic resilience."

“By strengthening the links between health and finance policy, APEC economies can collaborate to protect the health of their populations, sustain productive workforces and support long-term sustainable growth," Dr Park added.

As a voluntary, non-binding framework, the roadmap gives economies the flexibility to strengthen cardiovascular health in ways that reflect their own health systems and priorities, while supporting continued cooperation and experience sharing across the region.

"No single economy can overcome the escalating burden of cardiovascular disease in isolation. By sharing knowledge and experience, we can strengthen health systems and build a more resilient response to this common threat," said Dr Phongsak Nitikaroon, Deputy Director General of the Department of Medical Services, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand.

The roadmap contributes to APEC’s broader efforts to strengthen health system resilience across the Asia-Pacific, recognizing the vital role of health in strengthening productivity and economic growth.