Regional health ministerial meeting in offing

KATHMANDU, Sept 1: Health ministers from 11 countries of South-East Asia Region and experts from the World Health Organization are meeting in Kathmandu to discuss key health issues confronting the member states from September 7-10. Two high-level meetings will be held -- the annual meeting of the health ministers of the region and the 62nd meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia.



Among other issues, the meetings will discuss pandemic influenza preparedness in the context of the sharing of influenza viruses for research, access to the resulting vaccines and other benefits, a press release issued by WHO office in Kathmandu said Tuesday. It added that the delegates will also discuss climate change and its impact on human health and the relationship between public and private sector healthcare.



The meeting will also follow up on the progress on the New Delhi Declaration on the Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health, adopted in 2008.



The 11 members include Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, India, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timore Leste.

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