WE, the Ministers of Health of ASEAN Member Countries, representing Brunei Darussalam, the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Republic of Indonesia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Union of Myanmar, the Republic of the Philippines, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam;

RECALLING that the ASEAN Vision 2020, adopted by the 2^nd ASEAN Informal Summit held in Kuala Lumpur in December 1997 envisioned ASEAN as a concert of South East Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies; 

RESPONDING TO the Yogyakarta Declaration adopted by the Fifth ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting held in April 2000, in which “Healthy ASEAN 2020” was proclaimed: “We envision by 2020 that health shall be at the centre of development and ASEAN cooperation in health shall be strengthened to ensure that our peoples are healthy in mind and body and living in harmony in safe environments”; 

MINDFUL that ASEAN countries are in demographic, economic and epidemiological transition and that these trends have major implications on lifestyles and health status by influencing the determinants of health;  

CONCERNED that many traditional patterns of living of ASEAN peoples that have beneficial health effects are under pressure to change; 

NOTING the links from behavioural risk factors (especially tobacco use, malnutrition, physical inactivity and personal and family hygiene practices) and socio-economic risk factors (especially poverty) to persistent and emerging health conditions in the region; 

RECOGNISING that there is a rich diversity of ASEAN lifestyles within and between Member Countries, that lifestyles are behaviours and social practices conducive to good health which reflect the values and identities of the groups and societies in which people live, and that they change over time in response to economic, social and physical environments;

ENCOURAGED by the steady progress that has been made to develop and implement health programmes through the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) and the ASEAN Sub-Committee on Health and Nutrition before the SOMHD; 

FULLY AWARE of the crucial roles that ASEAN Ministers of Health can play in enabling, mediating and advocating for healthy lifestyles across all sectors of activity and as leaders in health system reform; 

DO HEREBY AGREE, IN THE SPIRIT OF ASEAN SOLIDARITY AND MUTUAL ASSISTANCE, TO INTENSIFY THE REGIONAL EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE LIFESTYLES OF THE ASEAN PEOPLES BY ADOPTING THE FOLLOWING FRAMEWORK: 

Vision:   

We envision that by 2020 all ASEAN citizens will lead healthy lifestyles consistent with their values, beliefs and culture in supportive environments.   

Mission Statement :

 ASEAN Member Countries will continue to educate and empower their citizens to adopt healthy lifestyles and create an enabling environment that makes healthy lifestyle choices accessible, affordable and sustainable. 

 ASEAN will continue to be a driving force for regional action in promoting healthy lifestyles.

Guiding Principles:

1.      Healthy ASEAN lifestyles refer to basic human functions and the patterns linking various activities of everyday living in the ASEAN context. 

 2.      Determinants of health strongly influence lifestyles and promoting healthy lifestyles involves enhancing individual responsibility and capability, as well as creating enabling environments.

3. The ASEAN concept for promoting healthy lifestyles links priority areas for health promotion interventions; key target groups based on stages through the lifespan; key levels, sectors, settings and strategies for implementation.

4. Political commitment at the highest levels will strengthen multi-sectoral cooperation and enhance resource mobilisation from multiple sources.

5. Efforts to promote healthy ASEAN lifestyles will draw on the best evidence-based practices appropriate to the social, cultural and economic situation.

6. Individuals, families, communities and citizen organisations as well as the private sector and regional organisations are key partners with national and local governments.

7. Partnerships with ASEAN Dialogue Partners, international agencies, the private sector, academic institutions, media organisations, and civil society will strengthen the organisational machinery of ASEAN to implement joint activities.

8. Special consideration shall be given to addressing healthy lifestyle issues in vulnerable populations.

 Strategies:

1. To strengthen ASEAN cooperation among Member Countries to promote healthy ASEAN lifestyles.

2. To strengthen the national and collective ASEAN capacity for research and policy development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.

3. To enhance awareness and develop health literacy among ASEAN peoples about healthy lifestyles.

4. To work together to build supportive environments and opportunities for healthy lifestyle choices.

Priority Health Issues

Recognizing the challenges of demographic transition, urbanisation, industrialisation, globalisation environmental change and other socio-economic changes and their impact on health, we identify the following as priority areas for the promotion of healthy lifestyles:

            Accident and injury prevention

            Alcohol consumption

            Communicable diseases control (malaria, TB, HIV, ARI, CDD etc.)     

Environmental health

            Healthy ageing

            Mental health

Non-communicable diseases prevention (diabetes, hypertension, cancer, CVD, and others)

Nutrition

Physical activity

Substance abuse

            Tobacco control

            Women’s and children’s health

Regional Action on Promoting Healthy ASEAN Lifestyles

1.      We agree to adopt the Regional Action Plan of the Framework for Promoting Healthy ASEAN Lifestyles.

2.      We commit to implement the Regional Action Plan through a continuing programme of activities.

3.      We will intensify our linkages and interactions with ASEAN Dialogue Partners and other partner organisations in the implementation of the Regional Action Plan.

4.      We will mobilize resources through multiple strategies, including cost- and resource-sharing among ASEAN Member Countries and co-operation with ASEAN’s Dialogue Partners and international organisations. 

SIGNED on this 15^th Day of March 2002 in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic for the governments of ASEAN Member Countries.

For the Government of Brunei Darussalam:                             For the Government of the Union of Myanmar:

   H.E. Pehin Abdul Aziz Umar                                               H.E. Prof. Dr. Mya Oo

   Acting Minister of Health                                                       Deputy Minister of Health

For the Government of the Kingdom                                      For the Government of the Republic

   of Cambodia :                                                                       of the Philippines:

   H.E. Dr. Hong Sun Huot                                                     H.E. Dr. Manuel M. Dayrit

   Senior Minister                                                                      Secretary of Health

   and Minister of Health                                                           

For the Government of the Republic                                       For the Government of the Republic

   of Indonesia:                                                                          of Singapore:

   H.E. Dr. Achmad Sujudi                                                     H.E. Dr. Balaji Sadasivan

   Minister of Health                                                                  Minister of State for Health

For the Government of the Lao                                              For the Government of the Kingdom

   People’s Democratic Republic:                                              of Thailand:

   H.E. Dr. Ponmek Dalaloy                                                   H.E. Mrs. Sudarat Keyuraphan

   Minister of Health                                                                  Minister of Public Health

For the Government of Malaysia:                                           For the Government of the Socialist

                                                                                                Republic of Viet Nam:

   H.E. Dato’ Seri Dr. Suleiman Mohamed                           H.E. Prof. Dr. Do Nguyen Phuong

   Deputy Minister of Health                                                      Minister of Health