31st Meeting Of Health Ministers Of South-East Asia Starts In Delhi

New Delhi, Sept 11, IRNA – Thirty First meeting of Ministers of Health and Sixty-sixth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia (SEAR), kicked off Tuesday at Presidential Palace in New Delhi. The 3-day meet, to discuss the progress made on key action points and commitments for promoting ageing and health, was inaugurated by President, Pranab Mukherjee. Speaking on the occasion, the President said that he was sure that the meeting of the Health Ministers of the Region followed by the session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia would map the way forward for the entire Region. He said that it is an urgent necessity to build a conducive environment to ensure the highest quality of health for the people of the Region. However, this needs a multidimensional approach on the part of the respective Governments. Pranab noted with concern that 46 percent people in the region lived below poverty line and asked nations to build an environment for quality health. It is also a matter of concern that South East Asia Region registers the lowest total expenditure on health as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (3.8 pc) and per capita total expenditure on health as per World Health Statistics 2009, he said. As per WHO, Indias total expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP in 2011 is 3.9 percent. But, government spending on health is less than 2 percent of GDP and the total came to 3.9 percent after including private spending. The President said countries need to strengthen health systems based on primary health care approach while focusing on public health based on domestic resources. He also sought strategic investments in medical education and training and said existing inefficiencies in supply chain and logistic management of drugs and vaccines be addressed. Noting with concern the growing incidence of NCDs like hypertension among youth, Mukherjee called for steps to check the trend, as also to make serious efforts to adopt a holistic approach to promote healthy ageing in the region. An ideal health care delivery system should be accessible to all in the region. Considering the current lack of access to quality healthcare at an affordable cost for the majority of the population in the region, the proposed universal health coverage seems to be a very plausible solution, he said. With around 7.9 million dying every year due to non-communicable diseases, accounting for 55 per cent of all deaths in WHOs South East Asia Region, the Health Ministers adopted the New Delhi Declaration on High Blood Pressure. Speaking on the occasion Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad urged SEARO countries to join hands to develop and share initiatives and technologies to achieve the common goal of providing affordable and accessible health care to people in the region. Meanwhile, the WHO, Director General, Dr Margaret Chan said that each year there are 9.4 million deaths due to heart disease and stroke. So, lifestyle changes and medicines are very important. Dr. Chan commended the Government of India for not having any polio case in last 30 months. She said that country was moving in a big way to promote better health for women and children. This is an important year for the Region as all the Ministers come together to elect a Regional Director in the 66th Regional Committee Session to provide leadership to the organization at a crucial period in the global health scenario in view of the expanding health problems and constricting resources. India, which is one of the 11 SEAR countries, has also after a period of 44 years fielded its candidate for the position of WHO regional director by nominating its former deputy regional director Poonam Khetarpal Singh./end