South East Asian Health Ministers’ meet begins in Kathmandu

A 27th Meeting of Health Ministers of World Health Organization (WHO) member states from South-East Asia kicked off in Kathmandu on Monday.

In the four-day meeting, Health Ministers from the member countries and other delegates will deliberate on protecting human health from climate change impacts, code of practice for international recruitment of health personnel, setting up of South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund and progress and challenges in the field of polio eradication.

Among others, the meeting will hold discussion on strengthening health workforce in South-East Asia, combating counterfeit medical products and formulating strategies to reduce harmful use of alcohol and pandemic influenza preparedness in the region.

Inaugurating the meeting, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal thanked WHO and other partners for supporting the government´s health initiatives and expressed commitment to further strengthen Nepal’s health sector. "The budget for the health sector has been increased three-fold in the last few years to around seven percent of the country’s GDP now," the PM said.

Addressing the meeting, Health Minister Umakant Chaudhary the health ministers of the participating 11 countries are deliberating on the issue of swine flu and impact of climate change on public health.

WHO representative to Nepal Dr Alex Andjaparidze called for proper preparedness in event of natural disasters like earthquake and flood, while warning that only 25 percent of health facilities in Nepal would survive an earthquake of more than 7.2 Richter scale.

- Asian Tribune -