Seventy-fourth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia - Day5

10 September 2021

News release

Adoption of Resolutions

The final day of the 74^th Regional Committee of the South East Asian Region was held today.

Mr. Tashi Penjor from the Royal Government of Bhutan presented the four adopted resolutions and three draft resolutions for deliberation.

The four adopted resolutions were as follows:

SEA/RC74/R1:	Declaration by health ministers of member states at the seventy-fourth session of the WHO regional committee for South East Asia on COVID-19 and measures to ‘Build Back Better’ essential health services to achieve Universal Health Coverage and the health-related SDGs
SEA/RC74/R2:	Programme budget 2022-2023
SEA/RC74/R3:	Revitalizing the school health programme and health-promoting schools in the South East Asia Region
SEA/RC74/R4:	Resolution of thanks

The three draft resolutions that were adopted upon deliberation:
SEA/RC74(2):	Accelerating progress on prevention and control of NCDs including oral health and integrated eye care in the WHO South East Asia Region
SEA/RC74(3):	Promoting healthy meetings in the WHO South East Asia Region
SEA/RC74(4):	Beginning of the decade of action for ending viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs as public health threats by 2030 in the South East Asia Region

Conclusion of session

The member states presented their concluding statements.

Dr Alan Ludowyke, Director, International Health of the Ministry of Health speaking on behalf of Sri Lanka, thanked all member states for the productive discussions held across a range of health issues especially on COVID-19 and Primary Health Care (PHC) led recovery as captured by the Ministerial declaration. Sri Lanka requested for the support of the WHO for the proposed PHC Knowledge Hub, which is to be established with the aim of sharing experiences and supporting the countries in achieving the common goals of resilient health for all, Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the closing remarks, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, the Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region thanked all member states for the keen engagement, solidarity, shared commitment and ambition to speak with one voice for the region. She emphasized the importance of cross-country collaborations as highlighted by member states. Dr Singh stated that WHO will support the Knowledge Hub proposed by Sri Lanka. Further, she commended on the deliberations of the Ministerial round table where primary healthcare oriented health systems was highlighted as the key to strengthening the COVID-19 response, enhancing emergency preparedness and achieving UHC and health related SDGs. Dr Singh emphasized that WHO stands committed to support the member states to implement the ministerial declaration which was unanimously adopted at the Regional Committee.

At its seventy-second session, the Regional Committee noted the invitation from the representative of the Royal Government of Bhutan to hold the Seventy-fifth Session of the Regional Committee 2022 in Bhutan. This invitation was re-affirmed and noted during the seventy-third session of the Regional Committee.