New Delhi [India], October 4 : Health ministers and officials from member states of the WHO South-East Asia Region are meeting in the national capital next week to deliberate upon key priorities and actions to accelerate public health in the region which is the home to a quarter of the world's population that is facing a burden of preventable and treatable disease.
The 77th Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia is the annual governing body meeting of WHO in the region and is expected to be attended by health ministers and health officials from across the region, and representatives of global and regional partner organizations.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Regional Director Saima Wazed, along with other senior WHO officials will attend the meeting being held from October 7-9.
A ministerial round table at the Regional Committee Session will also discuss about the adolescent-responsive health systems to meet the unique needs of this population group that accounts for 27 per cent of the region's population.
The Regional Committee will review the progress being made towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC) and health-related Sustainable Development Goals and will also deliberate upon the expansion of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund. The fund was established in 2008 to support lifesaving response measures in the immediate aftermath of a public health emergency. Till date, it has supported 49 health emergencies in 10 countries. Since 2016, the SEARHEF has also been supporting emergency preparedness.
The meeting will also discuss progress reports on resolutions from the previous Regional Committee sessions. These include traditional medicines; strengthening health workforce education and training; and intensifying activities for dengue control and malaria elimination.
The resolution on decade of action to end viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs; universal access to people centered health care and services; progress and acceleration plan for non-communicable diseases; and advancing health emergency preparedness and response in the Region.
During the session, countries will also be felicitated for their recent advancements and achievements in public health