The 64th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South East Asia was held at Jaipur, Rajasthan from 6-9 September, 2011. The session dealt with issues like the Framework for increasing and sustaining Routine Immunization in the South-East Asia Region, devising a Regional Nutrition Strategy to address malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies, forming a National essential drug policy and a Regional Health Sector Strategy on HIV among others. The session which was host to the Health Ministers’ meeting also witnessed a discussion on WHO’s Programme Budget and Governing Body Matters coupled with an address by Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, World Health Organization.

In addition there was also a Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases   and a Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction conducted by UNDP, UNFPA, WHO & World Bank. Prior to the 64th session, a High-Level Preparatory (HLP) Meeting came up with a Regional Nutrition Strategy to address malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the region.

For accessing the full report on the Regional Nutrition Strategy, please click here

At the meeting, a statement was also made by Dr. Chandrakant S. Pandav, Regional Coordinator, ICCIDD - South Asia and Head, Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, who said “We have already covered the first seven of ten steps towards the elimination of IDD, what we require is the final three steps; national level partnerships, aggressive monitoring and evaluation and sustaining of IDD activities.” 

For a full transcript of the speech by Dr. Chandrakant S. Pandav, please click here