WHO South-East Asia Health Ministers to discuss COVID

New Delhi: Next week, the WHO South East Asia Region’s health ministers will meet for deliberation on the ongoing pandemics and actions to “build better” essential health services so that universal health coverage can be achieved.

The 74th WHO South East Asia Regional Committee will be held from 6 to 10 September. Nepal will host this meeting.

The session of the Committee will include Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director General, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, Health Ministers and Senior Health officials from Member States, UN Agencies, partners, donors, representatives of civil society, etc.

Strengthening public health emergency preparedness and response, accelerating progress for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, and ending viral hepatitis, HIV and STI are among other key issues that will be discussed at the annual meeting. This meeting will be held virtually for the second consecutive year in view of the pandemic.

Monitoring progress on universal health coverage, revitalizing school-health, and the regional framework for vaccine action plan will also be tabled for discussion.

The meeting will also take stock of the progress being made in the region on resolutions adopted at previous Regional Committee meetings. The session will also cover measles and rubella elimination by 2023, improving access to essential medical products, the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund and strengthening health systems to accelerate delivery of services for non-communicable diseases at the primary health care level.