New Delhi
Next week, health ministers and officials from countries in the WHO South-East Asia Region will gather in Delhi to discuss important priorities and actions aimed at improving public health. This region is home to a quarter of the global population, many of whom face preventable and treatable diseases.
The 77th Regional Committee Session is the annual governing meeting for WHO in this area and will be attended by health ministers, officials, and representatives from global and regional partner organizations. Key attendees will include WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Regional Director Saima Wazed, along with other senior officials, from October 7-9.
One highlight of the meeting is a ministerial roundtable focused on creating health systems responsive to the needs of adolescents, who make up 27% of the region’s population. The committee will also review progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) and health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Additionally, they will discuss expanding the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund, which has supported 49 health emergencies in ten countries since its establishment in 2008.
Other agenda items include evaluating resolutions from past sessions related to traditional medicine, health workforce training, and measures for dengue control and malaria elimination. Countries will also be recognized for their recent public health achievements during the session.
