SAARC health ministers' meet to discuss major issues

Health issues like prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases and disease surveillance network will be up for discussion at the 5th SAARC health ministers' meet here on Wednesday.

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) ministers' meet will be presided over by union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda, an official statement said here on Sunday.

It will deliberate and provide guidance and a roadmap for strengthening collaboration among SAARC countries on a number of issues and challenges faced by them.

Other health issues to be discussed at the meet will include health infrastructure, human resources for health, immunization for vaccine-preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental health, improving access to medicines and anti-microbial resistance.

The health ministers will also discuss for adoption 'Delhi Declaration', affirming their commitment to work together in identified areas and further strengthen health collaboration with agreed roadmap and timeliness.

Prior to the meet, the 7th meeting of the SAARC expert group on HIV/AIDS, 5th meeting of the SAARC technical committee on health and population and the 5th meeting of the SAARC senior officials (health secretaries) will be held on Monday and Tuesday, the statement added.

The meetings are being organised in pursuance of decisions taken by the SAARC summit of heads of states or governments held at Kathmandu in November, 2014.

Fifty delegates from all SAARC countries, including India, comprising officials and experts will participate in the technical and official level meetings.

The SAARC countries comprising India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, account for nearly a quarter of the world population.