DIHAC Study Principal Investigator Associate Professor Myo Nyein Aung, Department of Global Health Research, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, Tokyo, was invited to Brunei Darussalam in the second week of October 2025. It was hosted by ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI), Ministry of Health Brunei and Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).  ACAI organized its 14th Governing Board meeting and Independent Review Panel Meeting.

The visit began with a field visit to the Senior Citizen Activity Centre (PKWE) Brunei Muara, Kampong Perpindahan Lambak Kanan. Dr. Myo joined other delegated and older adults in community based healthy ageing activities. These included physical exercises, group Quran recitation, and traditional music band and dance, and a dynamic movement game involving weaving through a series of obstacles arranged in a straight line. Diverse community based social innovations (CBSI) for healthy ageing were observed in the setting of Brunei’s welfare state.  The visit provided valuable insight into Brunei’s culturally grounded and socially engaging approach to healthy ageing.

During the trip, Dr. Myo was invited to and participated in expert meetings hosted by the ASEAN Centre for Active Ageing and Innovation (ACAI). The meeting covered institutional updates, programmatic progress, promoting research for active ageing and collaborative initiatives across ASEAN. He contributed to the ACAI regional initiatives for active ageing and harnessing digital technology. DIHAC has been cherished widely for its contribution to digital inclusion and healthy ageing across Asia-Pacific. The meeting was joined by participants from 11 countries.

Figure 1: DIHAC study PI Associate Professor Myo from Juntendo University, at ACAI meeting with Director-General Dr. Hayashi Reiko from Japan, regional experts and stakeholders from ASEAN and Japan together at International Convention Centre of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 9th October 2025

Dr. Myo also had meeting and discussion with Dr. Siti Mazidah Haji Mohamad, Director of the Centre for Advanced Research (CARe) and Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at Universiti Brunei Darussalam. They discussed future collaboration in active ageing research, digital inclusion, and regional knowledge exchange welcoming Brunei and UBD to DIHAC. CARe is active with recent publications and books on population aging and multidisciplinary team that featured researchers such as Professor Aris Anata and Dr. Evi Nurvidya Arifin.

Figure 2: DIHAC study PI Associate Professor Myo with Dr. Siti Mazidah Haji Mohamad, Director of the Centre for Advanced Research (CARe) at  ACAI meeting , International Convention Centre of Bandar Seri Begawan on 8th October 2025

The ACAI meeting will continue in Narita, Japan, in the late October 2025 and Dr. Myo has been invited to take part again.