All member countries of the World Health Organisation (WHO) South-East Asia Region today signed the Member States’ Declaration to fight COVID-19 as one. The member countries resolved to collectively fight COVID-19 and strengthen the region’s response with better-equipped health systems to deliver essential health services during the pandemic. The two-day virtual session ended today.
The declaration called for efforts to ensure countries sustain essential health services and public health programs during public health emergencies. Accordingly, all member countries agreed on the importance of universal health coverage and primary health care as a preventive measure for people to access quality health services and other essential services including the most vulnerable population.
The member countries agreed to allocate adequate budgets to ensure uninterrupted services during and beyond the pandemic while prioritising the health of the people.
Countries also resolved to strengthen health information systems by strengthening digital technologies which capture timely reporting of outbreaks and sharing information for a policy decision.
With health workers playing a crucial role in the pandemic, member countries pledged to ensure occupational health, safety and wellbeing of health professionals and other related workers.
The member countries also agreed to continue and expand multi-sectoral collaboration, strengthen regional collaboration for scaling up capacities for preparedness, surveillance and rapid response, supply chain management of medicines and medical supplies and regional stockpiling of essential health resources among others.
All the countries in the region also agreed to fully engage in global discussion on equitable allocation of vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for COVID-19.
Sonam Pem
