WHO to consider climate change
Health ministers of 11 member countries of WHO Southeast Asia Region will meet in Male, Maldives on September 6-10 to set health priorities and discuss the health agenda.
Building health systems resilient to climate change, improving access to essential medicines for all and intensifying efforts to end tuberculosis are among the key issues to be highlighted at the 70th regional committee session of the region, says a press release.
World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom and Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh will address the meeting where officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste and representatives of partner organisations will be present.
The meeting is likely to focus on viral hepatitis, a preventable disease that kills 4,10,000 people in the region every year.
Strengthening primary healthcare and the health workforce and progress towards universal health coverage are among issues being addressed at the meeting. The region bears a disproportionate 45 percent of the global TB burden.
It will also focus on the actions needed to cut down road traffic injuries that cause 3,16,000 deaths in the region annually. Vector control will also be highlighted at the meeting.
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