WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee concludes with landmark decisions and commitments to accelerate health for all

The Seventy-eighth session of WHO South-East Asia concluded today with Member States deliberating and adopting resolutions and decisions on key public health challenges, to accelerate health for all.

The highlight of the three-day annual governing body meeting, hosted by Sri Lanka, was the Colombo Declaration on 'Healthy Ageing through strengthened primary health care', adopted at a ministerial round table. The declaration aims at health and well-being of the ageing population, expected to double in the Region by 2050.

To combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), which continues to be a major threat to global public health with high mortality and significant socioeconomic burden, Member States adopted a resolution to strengthen national health sector and multisectoral collaboration, ownership and oversight of the AMR response at the highest levels of government, among other key initiatives. An estimated 4.71 million AMR associated deaths globally in 2021 were linked to bacterial AMR, with over half of them occurring in the Asia-Pacific region.

The AMR resolution also calls for updating national action plan and policy strategies in line with the regional roadmap and accelerating implementation of human health sector priorities aligned with core interventions in WHO's people-centered approach by increasing domestic financing.

Recognizing the serious health and economic impacts of public health emergencies and disasters, which continue to pose significant risks to lives, health systems and livelihoods, Member States adopted a resolution to strengthen multisectoral coordination and collaboration for emergency preparedness, response and recovery, ensuring alignment of national efforts with regional and global frameworks. They agreed to prioritize investments in preparedness, resilience and responsiveness, and timely emergency medical care through initiatives such as the Emergency Medical Teams.

The Regional Committee agreed on updated Policies and Business Rules for South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF 2.0) from the 2026-2027 biennium, with Member States urged to consider contributing to and advocating for resource mobilization for sustainability of the fund, including engaging partners and donors. The SEARHEF has supported 49 emergencies in 10 Members States, since its inception in 2008. The mandate of the fund was expanded in 2016 to also support emergency preparedness.

To combat the use of smokeless tobacco, novel nicotine products and areca nut, the Member States endorsed the Regional Strategic Framework which focuses on strengthening national legislation, regulatory frameworks and enforcement mechanisms, including comprehensive bans on manufacture, sale, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of these products. It emphasizes on enacting policies to restrict availability of these products, integrate cessation and counselling services, enhance surveillance and strengthen multisectoral coordination involving health, education, finance, customs, trade, law enforcement, youth and communication sectors to ensure coherent national implementation, among others.

Recognizing the climate crisis as an unprecedented public health emergency that demands urgent and coordinated action at all levels to protect the health and well-being of present and future generations, the Member States agreed to put health at the heart of climate action by utilizing evidence-informed tools tailored to local contexts to identify and address vulnerabilities, ensuring equitable access to quality health services for all, particularly the most vulnerable populations, among others.

On migrant health, Member States agreed to integrate migrant-sensitive approaches, as appropriate, within Universal Health Coverage policies and health system strengthening to ensure equitable access to quality health services without financial hardship for migrants, in consultation with relevant stakeholders. The resolution also calls for strengthening cross-border and multi-sectoral collaboration to address specific health needs of migrants.

The other resolutions included implementing global standards and regional roadmap on health promoting schools; recognizing the critical role of Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) systems in advancing universal health coverage and evidence-based governance; promoting physical activity; and introducing health humanities to health professional education and training in the region.

The Regional Committee decided to extend and expand till 2030, the regional milestones of SEAHEARTS: an initiative to reduce cardiovascular disease burden in the Region.

At a side event to recognize public health achievements in the Region, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Officer-In-Charge for WHO South-East Asia, Dr Catharina Boehme, felicitated Maldives for achieving Triple Elimination of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B, HIV and Syphilis, the first country to achieve this feat globally. Nepal was recognized by eliminating rubella and Timor-Leste for malaria elimination.

Dr Boehme felicitated winners of Public Health Champions Awards - the Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) programme of Nepal for its transformative role; the LEPRA Society for its exceptional contribution in the area of Neglected Tropical Diseases and disability and Dr Satendra Singh, Director-Professor of Physiology from Delhi, or championing disability Inclusion in health systems and medical education.

On the eve of the governing body meeting, the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, and WHO South-East Asia launched the Regional Youth Council, to make youth engagement in health and well-being both tangible and meaningful.