KATHMANDU: The 74th meeting of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Southeast Asian Nations concluded here Tuesday with a 12-point declaration on further strengthening the health system to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The declaration issued by the virtual two-day meeting stressed the need for participation of the political leadership in ensuring health security, universal access to health, and achieving sustainable development goals by learning lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Declaration seeks to engage the community in conducting emergency health care and public health programs during and after an epidemic, to empower communities, to provide effective response to vulnerable and affected communities, to integrate public health emergency and disaster risk management strategies, and to monitor primary health care.

Member States have committed to strengthening their preparedness capacity. The declaration also states that the WHO should play an important role in national capacity building to address public health emergencies and ensure quality health care for all. The member states also pledged to include non-communicable diseases in primary health care, including mental health and other diseases, to establish national quality standards for primary health care, and to ensure access to quality health care during epidemics and relapses.

The declaration also states that the potential of the traditional medicine system should be used wisely and the latest inventions in digital health technology should be used to the best of their ability.

During the meeting, Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for Southeast Asia, said that COVID-19 has caused great damage to our health system.

The meeting was attended by the Ministers of Health and senior health officials of the member countries of the region, representatives of the United Nations, partners, donors and civil society. The meeting was attended by health ministers from 11 countries including Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Thailand, North Korea, Indonesia, Myanmar and East Timor.