Kathmandu, July 30
Over 30 parliamentarians from various countries of South-East Asia Region have expressed their commitment to health and wellbeing of women, children and adolescents, to further reduce preventable diseases and deaths among them.
The lawmakers of 11 countries– Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste–expressed the commitment at the end of the two-day ‘South-Asia Regional Parliamentarians’ Meeting – A renewed commitment to women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health’ organised by the World Health Organisation’s South-East Asia Office in New Delhi.
Adopting a ‘Call to Action’ at the end of the two-day meeting, the participants said they were committed to contributing towards increasing national budgets for health services for this key population; ensuring access to and financial protection for quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services within the provision of universal health coverage; and deploying skilled workforce, especially in rural areas.
“The health of women, children and adolescents is critical to sustainable development –economic as well as social development. This population should be at the centre of our efforts to achieve universal health coverage – with quality health care provided to everyone, everywhere,” Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said.
The Region, which accounts for one-fourth of the global population, one-third of newborns, and has over 360 million adolescents, the largest number of young population ever, has been making progress in advancing health of women and children. Between 1990 and 2015, maternal mortality rates declined by 69%, deaths in children less than five years of age reduced by 67 % and newborn deaths rates declined by 57% here.
