Health investment augments economy

The five-day meeting of the 11 member countries of World Health Organization (WHO) in Southeast Asia region kicked off yesterday at Paradise Island in the Maldives, emphasising the need for sustained investment in health sector to ensure continuity of economic progress.

“There is nothing better you can do for the people of your countries than to invest in strengthening your health systems,” said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom at the inaugural programme of the 70th session of WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia (SEAR).

“This includes ensuring the right number of health workers with the right skills, in the right places, to give the right care, at the right time,” he said as WHO emphasised the need for making health for all a top priority for the region.

A strong health system is the best defence against outbreaks and epidemics, he said.

Hosted by the Maldives, the meeting will focus on climate change and its adverse impact on public health. The other members are Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.

Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director of WHO of South East Asia Region, said, “Sustained investment in health is a vital weapon if governments wish to ensure that hard-won economic progress continues.”

“The challenges we all face are real and complex. We are committed to the achievement of universal health coverage. Every single country is making headway and we have powerful means to measure progress,” she said.

Poonam said universal health coverage (UHC) is the best and most powerful means for changing peoples' lives through better health. “We must strive for a more equitable, effective and results-oriented health sector…” she added.

Mohamed Shainee, the special envoy of the Maldives' President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, was present at the chief guest at the inaugural session. Nazim Ibrahim, health minister of the Maldives, also spoke at the meeting, which will end on September 10 with Malé Declaration.

Ministers, state ministers, officials from the member countries and representatives of partner organisations also attended the programme. Rear Admiral Akhtar Habib, Bangladesh ambassador to the Maldives, represented Bangladesh.

Apart from climate change and its impact on public health, issues relating to strengthening primary health care and the health workforce and progress towards universal health coverage, efforts to end tuberculosis from the region will also be discussed, Poonam told reporters after the inaugural session.

The meeting will also discuss the ways to strengthen inter-country cooperation in areas such as medicine procurement and pricing, and regulation of medical products, the action needed to cut down road traffic injuries, controlling vector-borne diseases, she added.