Addressing the fourth Health Ministers’ Conference at Male, Maldives today, the Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that a strong and vibrant public health care system can cope with the enormous challenges emanating from demographic and epidemiological transition in the SAARC region. “We should collaborate amongst ourselves to find our own concrete solutions which are feasible, cost effective and suitable for our region”, Shri Azad said. The Minister added that full advantage of the strength and vibrancy of SAARC in addressing the common health problems of the region should be taken. The President of Maldives, Dr Mohammed Waheed inaugurated the Health Ministers’ Conference.
Taking note of the large burden of communicable diseases and unacceptably high levels of maternal and child mortality particularly India and Pakistan, Shri Azad stated that adopting a comprehensive strategy for Diseases Surveillance for Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases is the need of the hour. It is of paramount importance to develop and put in place a comprehensive strategy for surveillance, early detection and response to such diseases and infections, he emphasised. Among the strategies discussed during the Health Ministers’ Conference include capacity building, effective response, laboratory support, information sharing, cross border collaboration, monitoring and research.
Shri Azad stated that there are many examples of successful strategies and programs in the region in combating dreadful diseases. Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy originated from TB research in India and is now the global paradigm in TB prevention and control. The response to HIV/AIDS in India over the last decade has yielded encouraging outcomes in terms of prevention and control of HIV whereby the number of annual new HIV infections has declined by more than 50% during the last decade from 2.7 lakh new infections in 2000 to 1.2 lakh in 2009, he elaborated. Sri Lanka is an example of public health excellence in the region with health status indicators comparable with the best in the world. Bangladesh has set an example in dramatically reducing infant and maternal mortality in the face of most crippling circumstances.
Shri Azad also invited attention of the gathering to the issue of non-communicable diseases that have emerged as the major threat to the health of our populations. Tobacco related cancers, chronic cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes are significantly contributing to morbidity and mortality in the region. He said India’s experience in developing laboratory capabilities and a system of quality assurance could be of great assistance to the SAARC countries. “India would welcome requests from any country in training of manpower in the fields of epidemiology, disease surveillance, diagnostic tools and techniques and Information, Communication Technology applications” Shri Azad offered.
Shri Azad also suggested the Health Ministers of the region should meet more often to deliberate upon a selected theme or subject of common interest and agree on an action plan. “This should be followed up by interactions and workshops at the level of officials and technical experts 2-3 times a year on sharing of best practices, technological applications and innovations, and cross-border collaborations. In this regard, it is my privilege to state that India volunteers to host the next meeting of SAARC Health Ministers” Shri Azad said.
Twenty Seven years ago SAARC was born with the objective of fostering joint action and cooperation in solving common problems, furthering regional interests and fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of South Asia with the conviction that regional cooperation among the countries of South Asia is mutually beneficial, desirable and necessary for improving the quality of life of the peoples of the region.
Taking note of the large burden of communicable diseases and unacceptably high levels of maternal and child mortality particularly India and Pakistan, Shri Azad stated that adopting a comprehensive strategy for Diseases Surveillance for Prevention and Control of Communicable Diseases is the need of the hour. It is of paramount importance to develop and put in place a comprehensive strategy for surveillance, early detection and response to such diseases and infections, he emphasised. Among the strategies discussed during the Health Ministers’ Conference include capacity building, effective response, laboratory support, information sharing, cross border collaboration, monitoring and research.
Shri Azad stated that there are many examples of successful strategies and programs in the region in combating dreadful diseases. Directly Observed Treatment Short-course (DOTS) strategy originated from TB research in India and is now the global paradigm in TB prevention and control. The response to HIV/AIDS in India over the last decade has yielded encouraging outcomes in terms of prevention and control of HIV whereby the number of annual new HIV infections has declined by more than 50% during the last decade from 2.7 lakh new infections in 2000 to 1.2 lakh in 2009, he elaborated. Sri Lanka is an example of public health excellence in the region with health status indicators comparable with the best in the world. Bangladesh has set an example in dramatically reducing infant and maternal mortality in the face of most crippling circumstances.
Shri Azad also invited attention of the gathering to the issue of non-communicable diseases that have emerged as the major threat to the health of our populations. Tobacco related cancers, chronic cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes are significantly contributing to morbidity and mortality in the region. He said India’s experience in developing laboratory capabilities and a system of quality assurance could be of great assistance to the SAARC countries. “India would welcome requests from any country in training of manpower in the fields of epidemiology, disease surveillance, diagnostic tools and techniques and Information, Communication Technology applications” Shri Azad offered.
Shri Azad also suggested the Health Ministers of the region should meet more often to deliberate upon a selected theme or subject of common interest and agree on an action plan. “This should be followed up by interactions and workshops at the level of officials and technical experts 2-3 times a year on sharing of best practices, technological applications and innovations, and cross-border collaborations. In this regard, it is my privilege to state that India volunteers to host the next meeting of SAARC Health Ministers” Shri Azad said.
Twenty Seven years ago SAARC was born with the objective of fostering joint action and cooperation in solving common problems, furthering regional interests and fulfilling the aspirations of the peoples of South Asia with the conviction that regional cooperation among the countries of South Asia is mutually beneficial, desirable and necessary for improving the quality of life of the peoples of the region.
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