In May 2016 the WHO the Sixty-ninth World Health Assembly adopted a strategy for aging: “Multisectoral action for a life course approach to healthy ageing: global strategy and plan of action on ageing and health” (Document A69/17). This strategy also resulted in 2020 – 2030 being identified as the Decade of Health Aging. As the incidence of MSK conditions is a significant concern with the aging population this provides the opportunity to engage with the WHO to increase the global attention on MSK conditions as well as encourage action at a national and global level. In a paper written in the WHO Bulletin May 2018 there are 3 priorities for action noted:

In a paper written in the WHO Bulletin May 2018 there are 3 priorities for action noted:

1. Explicit advocacy for, and integrate musculoskeletal health and persistent pain into existing global and/or regional policy reform initiatives for non-communicable diseases to drive appropriate policy and service implementation, particularly as part of action towards the sustainable development goals.
2. Targets and monitoring for functional ability should be set as part of noncommunicable diseases global health surveillance and as part of the health sustainable development goals performance targets.
3. Musculoskeletal health should be part of noncommunicable diseases national policy reform and should leverage models of care for musculoskeletal health.