KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 10
The seventy-fifth session of the Regional Committee for WHO South-East Asia concluded in Paro of Bhutan yesterday with member countries, including Nepal, committing to resilient health systems, accelerating multi-sectoral actions to address priority health issues and re-energizing comprehensive primary health services to build societies that are more inclusive, equitable and resilient against present and future emergencies.
"We are at a history-defining juncture. Over the past two and-a-half years, the region and the world have witnessed immense transformative change. It is important for us not just to spend more on health, but also to spend efficiently and equitably. Our focus must be on vulnerable populations, and we must identify them and see how best we can address their needs. We cannot leave anyone behind as we seek to drive rapid and sustained progress towards universal health coverage, health security and health for all," said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia.
Building on the lessons learnt from the ongoing COV- ID-19 pandemic, the countries are committed to strengthening emergency preparedness and building health systems that are also resilient to environment and climate change.
The annual governing body meeting of the WHO in the region, which met in person for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic after a gap of three years, adopted the Paro Declaration to address mental health issues through primary care and community engagement.
According to a press release issued by New Delhi-based WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, the Regional Committee adopted resolutions to accelerate progress against non-communicable diseases, including oral health and integrated eye care and promote social participation to strengthen primary health care in support of universal health coverage.
Recognising that climate action is health action, the Regional Committee decided to extend the Regional Framework for Action in Building Health Systems Resilient to Climate Change (2017-2022) till 2027.
The member countries have committed to accelerate efforts in a bid to eliminate cervical cancer and achieve end-TB targets.
The session endorsed Implementation Roadmap for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in South-East Asia 2022-2030, and two action plans - for oral health in South-East Asia 2022-2030 and for integrated people-centred eye care in South-East Asia 2022-2030 - were also endorsed.
The Regional Committee stressed the need to revitalise regional knowledge and experience sharing the mechanisms aligned with the national, regional and global goals for strengthening comprehensive people-centred primary health services and health systems to respond to public health priorities, such as mental health, non-communicable diseases, emergencies and pandemics, including COV- ID-19 and, more recently, monkeypox.
The member countries endorsed the Regional Strategy Roadmap on Health Security and Health System Resilience for Emergencies 2023-2027 to boost emergency preparedness, readiness, and response through capacity building and enhanced governance. They also sought support in building strong health information systems for evidence and good quality data so as to guide preparedness and response.
Progress against efforts to end preventable maternal, newborn and child mortality in the region in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and global strategy on women's, children's and adolescents' health, challenges in polio eradication, and elimination of measles and rubella by 2023, was also reviewed by the regional committee.
A version of this article appears in the print on September 11, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.
