SEA/RC58/8 - Asia-Pacific strategy on emerging diseases

Abstract

The Tenth Meeting of Health Secretaries of countries in the SEA Region held in Dhaka on 3-4 July 2005, deliberated, among other subjects, on the Asia Pacific Strategy on Emerging Diseases, which is also an Agenda item of the fifty-eighth session of the Regional Committee. The background document (‎SEA/HSM/Meet.10/6)‎ prepared for the meeting is attached. The Meeting of Health Secretaries acknowledged the urgent need for intercountry and interregional collaboration in responding adequately to emerging communicable diseases in the SEA Region. It highlighted the need for strengthening national capacity in the area of surveillance and public health laboratories for diagnosis of emerging diseases, and noted that the Asia-Pacific Strategy and the International Health Regulations (‎2005)‎ are complementary. The meeting recommended that the Strategy should be used as a framework for interregional collaboration as well as for mobilization of financial resources, and called for increased collaboration with existing regional epidemiology and laboratory networks. It requested WHO to assist Member States in carrying out an assessment of national capacities, preparation of epidemic/ pandemic preparedness and response plans, stockpiling and supply of life-saving medicines and laboratory supply; mapping existing national expertise, institutions and centres which have a unique capacity for diagnosis of specific emerging diseases, and to further strengthen their capacity to assume a regional role. The Agenda item is now submitted to the Regional Committee for its consideration.