Bangkok, Sep 7 (UNI) Measures to curtail the COVID-19 outbreak, ways to maintain essential health services and transition to the ‘new normal’ will dominate the deliberations as Health Ministers from Member countries of the WHO South East Asia Region will meet this week.
Hosted by Thailand, the Seventy Third Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia, the annual governing body meeting of WHO in the Region, is being held virtually for the first time ever in view of
the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom, Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Health Ministers and senior health officials of the 11 Member countries of the Region, UN
Agencies, partners, donors and civil society representatives would be among those attending the two-day session.

The pandemic has severely strained health systems across the Region. As part of the COVID-19 response, WHO has been advocating for maintaining essential health services and accelerating resumption of
disrupted health-care services. This will be discussed at a Ministerial Round Table with Member countries sharing experiences and lessons learnt.

The mid-term review of progress, challenges, capacities and opportunities for the decade of health workforce strengthening 2015-2024; and annual report on monitoring progress on universal health coverage and health related Sustainable Development Goals, are among the agenda of the session.

The event will also take note of the progress in implementation of some of the previous resolutions adopted
by the Regional Committee, such as promoting physical activity, the regional action plan to reduce harmful use of alcohol, access to medicines, dengue control and malaria elimination and measles and rubella elimination.

The Region has been making remarkable progress around the flagships and beyond. During the Session, some countries will be felicitated for the recent public health achievements.
UNI BM SB 1524