A group photograph of the SEARO Member Countries’ Ministers and delegates of the 32nd Health Ministers’ Meeting and 67th session of the WHO’s Regional Committee for South East Asia Region (SEARO) in Dhaka
The Deputy Minister of Health of Sri Lanka, Lalith Dissanayake accompanied by a senior official level delegation represented Sri Lanka at the 32nd Health Ministers’ Meeting and 67th session of the WHO’s Regional Committee for South East Asia Region (SEARO) in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 9-12 September 2014.
The two Meetings were inaugurated by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 9th September 2014. The 32nd Health Ministers’ Meeting included Ministerial level participation of SEARO member states from Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste and Senior Advisor level participation from Thailand and Indonesia.
A group photograph of the SEARO Member Countries’ Ministers with the Chief Guest H.E Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh at the inaugural ceremony on September 09, 2014
The 67th session of the Regional Committee discussed some of the important issues related to the region such as "Covering every birth and death: improving civil registration and vital statistics", 'traditional medicine', 'strengthening emergency and essential surgical care and an aesthesia as a component of universal health coverage', 'viral hepatitis' and 'regional strategy on strengthening health workforce education and training' . The Dhaka Declaration on vector-borne diseases which spells out steps to control and eliminate vector-borne diseases in the region was adopted as the outcome of the meetings. Special emphasis was placed on the need to fight vector-borne diseases like malaria, kala-azar, dengue, and lymphatic filariasis.
A sideline session on the Ebola virus disease also featured in 4 - day long meetings. In a special session on Autism, Ms. Saima Wazed Hossain, Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee on Autism in Bangladesh and the daughter of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched a global initiative to address the challenges of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) in the South-East Asia Region. During the meeting, Ms. Hossain who is an Expert of WHO on mental Health was honoured with the "Excellence Award" of the WHO in recognition to her efforts in the field of autism. Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, and Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director for South-East Asia, were also present with WHO experts at both the meetings.
Courtesy Call by the, Deputy Minister of Health of Sri Lanka Lalith Dissanayake on Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health of India. Mr.A.G Abeysekera, Actg. High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Bangladesh is also present
During his stay in Dhaka, Deputy Minister Dissanayake called on Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Minister of Health of India and discussed a range of issues connected with health in Sri Lanka and India and strengthening of collaboration between the two countries in the heath sector to face common challenges.
The Deputy Minister also met with the Managing Director of the Essential Drug Company Ltd, counterpart of the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation of Sri Lanka to discuss matters related to the implementation of the MOU on Procurement of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which was signed on 23rd June 2014 in Dhaka.
The Sri Lanka delegation to the WHO SEARO Meetings included Mr. A.G Abyesekera, Actg. High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Bangladesh, Dr. H.R.U. Indrasiri, Advisor to Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. A.J Lakkumar Fernando, District General Hospital Negombo, Dr. (Mrs) Susei Perera, Director, Ministry of Health and Mrs. Sesath Thambugala, First Secretary, Sri Lanka High Commission in Dhaka.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
Bangladesh
13 September 2014
