Call for joint efforts to ensure better health service delivery
High profile delegates, including health ministers from Bhutan, Korea, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and host Bangladesh, joined the weeklong meeting that adopted 10 important resolutions.
The meeting, held at Hotel Sheraton, was followed by a press conference. Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Country Representative of WHO Dr Duangvadee Sunkhobol, Regional Director Dr Samilee Pliabangchang, Deputy Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh and Health Secretary AKM Zafar Ullah were present at the press briefing.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Dr Khandaker Mosharraf read out the resolutions.
The resolutions include promoting patient's safety at healthcare institutions, alcohol consumption control policy options in the Southeast Asia, strengthening public health workforce in SEAR countries and regional strategic plan for human resource development, regional initiatives for eradication/elimination of tropical diseases, regional strategy for health promotion, follow-up of sixth global conference on health promotion, public health, innovation essential, health research and intellectual property rights, international trade and health, health information and system development.
On promoting patient's safety, the committee noted with concern the high human financial toll of adverse events in both developed and developing countries. It recognised that most harms to patients are caused due to failures in the design, organisation, and operation of systems and hence a large proportion of adverse events are preventable.
The committee urged the member states to assess the scope and nature of adverse events in healthcare institutions and asked the WHO to provide technical leadership and coordinate the development of a strategic framework for strengthening patient's safety.
About alcohol consumption and controlling policy, the committee recognised that adult per capita alcohol consumption in the region almost doubled in the last decade and this cast a negative impact on the health of the population.
On strengthening public health, the committee was mindful of the fact that effective and efficient management of existing human resources for health is one of the most precious and important resources of the health system which would lead to effective programme delivery.
It asked the WHO to develop a package of interventions and tools to provide technical support to the membe states to strengthen training capacity to support the existing regional partnerships and networks.
On tropical diseases, it said diseases like leprosy, kala-azar, and lymphatic filariasis are significant public health concerns in the region.
The WHO was also asked to increase technical support to the member states, facilitate public private partnerships for research for new, safer and more effective diagnostics and drugs, and mobilise additional funding to support the national efforts.
The regional committee decided that the technical discussions in 2007 would be held on nutrition and food safety. It also decided that its 60th session would be held in Bhutan in conjunction with meeting of Ministers of Health.