WHO’s South-East Asian member countries endorse a roadmap to prevent and control NCDs

The South-East Asian member countries of the WHO endorsed a Roadmap for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in the South-East Asian region 2022-2030 during the regional committee meeting today. According to the WHO, NCDs impose a major and growing burden on health and development in the regions. Over 74 per cent of all deaths worldwide are from NCDs with a high burden in low and middle-income countries.

The regional NCD Implementation Roadmap 2022–2030 will provide strategic directions towards accelerating the NCD response of the member states through primary health care and universal health coverage approaches. The roadmap will guide the member states to strengthen prevention and control programs towards achieving the agenda 2030 targets related to NCDs.

The Regional Director of South East Asia added although trends are in the right direction, there is a need to accelerate efforts to achieve global, regional, and national goals.

Dr Cherian Varghese, Regional Advisor for Non-Communicable Diseases, SEARO

“The roadmap provides tools. First, it is to assess where the country is. So, there are tools about what is the status of the health system, what are the status of the policies, tobacco, and alcohol, what is the status of mortality, and all that. The second main element is called priority and acceleration because NCDs have many conditions, and it has many interventions. Not every country can do everything. So, what is appropriate for Bhutan at this particular point, we can help Bhutan to identify. Then we will have to accelerate and the last element is accountability,” said Dr Cherian Varghese, Regional Advisor for Non-Communicable Diseases, SEARO.

During the session, the member states also endorsed two action plans for oral health and integrated people-centered eye care in the region.

Oral diseases are among the most common NCDs in the South-East Asian Region. Furthermore, the South-East Asia Region has the highest oral cancer incidence and mortality rates among all the six WHO regions, with the prevalence and severity of diseases significantly skewed towards socioeconomically underprivileged populations.
The Action Plan will guide the member states to develop innovative, practical and effective national plans and programs to improve oral health within the broader purview of universal health coverage.
The Regional Action Plan for integrated people-centered eye care in South-East Asia 2022–2030 aims at enhancing access to comprehensive and high-quality eye care services.
It will help member states accelerate progress towards achieving the global targets related to refractive error and cataract surgery and the two regional targets of eliminating diabetic retinopathy and trachoma.

The WHO also committed to providing adequate technical support to member countries in the implementation of the three plans.

Namgay Wangchuk/Kinley Dem

Edited by Sonam Pem

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