Dili, 29 November 2022- WHO Southeast Asia’s Regional Technical Meeting on ‘Family Planning and Comprehensive Abortion care to Accelerate the Reduction in Maternal Mortality’ will be hosted in Timor-Leste from 30 November to 2 December. The high-level meeting with participation from 10 member countries from the Southeast Asia region will be inaugurated by H.E. President Dr. Jose Ramos Horta on Wednesday at the Mahoka Hall in Dili.
Family planning interventions have a significant role in reducing maternal and child mortality. The use of different contraceptive methods can reduce unintended pregnancies by spacing and limiting childbirths.
“Maternal and child health is one of eight regional flagships of the WHO Southeast Asia region, and WHO Timor-Leste is honoured to host the important meeting in this island nation,” said Dr. Arvind Mathur, WHO Representative to Timor-Leste. “The Regional Meeting will bring together experts from all the member countries to deliberate on and review the family planning services in their countries and the region and chart out a plan to cover the unmet needs and cope with challenges in the near future,” Dr. Mathur added.
The Regional Meeting will bring together WHO’s programme teams, officials from the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders face to face after two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. The topics of the technical sessions planned through the three days include global progress on sexual and reproductive health, regional progress on maternal and reproductive health, updated family planning tools, self-care interventions in sexual and reproductive health among others.
The meeting will also provide a platform to the member countries to exhibit material depicting their advocacy approaches, achievements and other interventions that have made a difference in the field of family planning.
On 1 December, the delegates will join the community in Timor-Leste for Walk the Talk to commemorate the World AIDS Day and highlight the importance of family planning services for women and adolescents at high risk of HIV.
“This Regional Meeting is the first such high level technical meeting to be hosted in Timor-Leste. It provides a great opportunity to the Government of Timor-Leste and to the Ministry of Health to showcase their achievements and reiterate their commitments on the WHO’s regional platform,” said Dr. Mathur.