Strengthen primary health care
WHO urges Southeast Asian countries striving to achieve health SDG
The World Health Organization has put great emphasis on the strengthening of primary health care services in the Southeast Asia region.
A strong primary health care system along with an enhanced monitoring of health services coverage and financial protection will enable these countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal of health and wellbeing for all, the WHO said in a press release.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director of WHO South-East Asia Region, said at the 70th session of the Regional Committee currently being held in the Maldives, “There is an urgent need to revive and adapt frontline services and health workers to meet today's needs. By doing these, the countries can accelerate public health gains, including by reducing maternal and child mortality and strengthening health security...”
Despite some progress, insufficient health services coverage in the region continues to exist. At least 130 million people still lack the access to one or more of the seven essential health services, said a WHO press release.
Though efforts across the region have been commendable, the countries must strengthen their delivery of patient-centred, integrated care to drive further gains and ensure no one is left behind, Poonam said.
Meanwhile, Amitabh Bachchan, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Hepatitis in the region, made a passionate plea to eliminate viral hepatitis from the region and stressed the need for increasing awareness about the preventable disease and ending discrimination against the affected.
“If this ailment is detected in time and care can be taken, there are medications that can halt this virus. A very high burden of hepatitis exists in the South-East Asia Region. Whatever work we can do to eliminate hepatitis -- to detect and cure it -- we must do,” Amitabh said while addressing the session via a video link.
At the session yesterday, member countries adopted a regional action plan to end viral hepatitis -- a public health threat -- by 2030. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Maldives and Timor-Leste are members of the HWO South East Regional Committee.