By IANS,
Jaipur : Health ministers and officials from 11 southeast Asian countries Friday resolved to give higher priority to key health issues like HIV-Aids, routine immunisation and nutrition in the region, a statement said.
Delegates attending the 64th session of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for southeast Asia agreed on new strategic directions and passed resolutions on strengthening the community-based health workforce and the national essential drug policy.
“While 5 lakh children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases in the region, about 10 million children are not covered by routine immunisation,” said the statement.
The delegates adopted a resolution to make 2012 the year of intensification of routine immunisation in the region to increase and sustain immunisation coverage and organise an annual immunisation week in April.
“Seventy percent of the world’s malnourished children reside in the SEA region. Many also suffer from several micronutrient deficiencies like iron and iodine,” the statement said.
According to WHO, the region has the second highest burden of HIV in the world after sub-Saharan Africa with an estimated 3.5 million infected people.