Public health priorities take centre stage at health meet

MANILA. — The World Health Organisation regional committee for the Western Pacific region opened its annual meeting yesterday to discus progress on public health priorities in the region, including dengue, malaria, HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.Aside from these diseases, the Manila-based WHO regional committee said in a statement that the five-day meeting will also tackle environmental health, the sustainable development goals, the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies.

The meeting hopes to formulate policies to support Western Pacific countries combat the diseases in a bid to sustain the WHO goals. At the meeting, the statement said that “progress report on HIV and sexually transmitted infections, expanded programme on immunisation, disability prevention and rehabilitation including blindness” will also be discussed.

“Regional action plan for healthy newborn infants, anti-microbial resistance and essential medicines” are also among the health topics for discussions on the table, the statement said.The meeting this week is the 67th session of the regional committee, WHO’s governing body for the Western Pacific region.

The committee consists of representatives from the region’s member states and associate members who meet annually. — Xinhua.