The 77th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia began on Monday in New Delhi, with Member States and the UN health agency pledging to take comprehensive and collaborative measures to address current and emerging public health challenges.
“Collective experiences can drive transformative actions across countries,” JP Nadda, the Indian health minister, said while speaking as the chair of the Regional Committee Session.
“Health transcends borders, necessitating a holistic and collaborative approach. By learning from each other's successes and challenges, we can enhance the resilience of health systems.”
He emphasized unity in addressing global challenges, fostering inclusive, human-centric growth, building trust by acknowledging aspirations and harnessing each nation's strengths for the global good.
One of the six WHO Regions, WHO South-East Asia is home to over a quarter of the world's population. The member nations include Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
The regional committee takes stock of the progresses and challenges of the health sector of the member countries.
Inaugurating the three-day meeting, Regional Director Saima Wazed underlined that the “best antidote for crises is cooperation.”
She underscored the need for collaborative regional action to build on the public health gains and overcome new threats in the region.
“In 1948, when the first Regional Committee for South-East Asia was formed, the infant mortality rate globally was around 147. Today it is 25. Then, the antibiotic age had just begun. Today, we are faced with antimicrobial resistance. Think of how far we have come, and how far we still have to go. And so, as we conquer old threats, we are faced with new ones. It is upon us to confront the perils of today, with the collective wisdom of all who came before us - and with the tools of the 21st century. This is why we are here today,” the Regional Director said.
The Regional Committee is the annual governing body meeting of WHO in the Region. Ministers of Health, senior health officials, public health experts and representatives from non-governmental organizations are attending the annual governing body meeting.
Senior Secretary for health MA Akmal Hossain Azad is representing Bangladesh.
Saima Wazed also detailed the “Regional Roadmap” which is WHO SEARO’S guiding framework.
“The Regional Roadmap belongs to all our countries and all our people. The Regional Roadmap is now our guiding framework. We feel the duty to protect the weak, and the vulnerable, the orphan child, the disabled, and the elderly with no family,” she said.
“Today we are imparting our calling in difficult times for many. Parts of our world are at war. The clouds of climate change get darker each day. Violence and conflict displace the vulnerable. Refugees live in fear and hopelessness. In our own region, many of our own countries have seen these realities on their own soil.”
WHO SEARO's has proposed a technical program and tactical approach priorities.
These include emergency response and pandemic preparedness, resource mobilization, climate change and universal health coverage, amongst others.
In his message to the Regional Committee, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded the Region for its many achievements in disease elimination and reiterated WHO continued support to Member States on addressing the challenges.
“Notwithstanding your many successes, the region faces many challenges, as you know: the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases and mental health; the unfinished business of reducing neonatal and under-5 mortality; the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance; inequitable access to health services and essential medicines; the continuing burden of tuberculosis,” he said.
The director-general’s message was read by Dr Razia Pendse, Chef de Cabinet.
A high-level ministerial roundtable on adolescent-responsive health systems is scheduled Tuesday.
The Regional Committee will review progress towards achieving universal health coverage, and health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
Progress reports on resolutions from the previous Regional Committee sessions such as traditional medicines; strengthening health workforce education and training; and intensifying activities for dengue control and malaria elimination; decade of action to end viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs; among others, will also be discussed during the Regional Committee session, according to the WHO.
