Kathmandu, September 5
Nepal and other 10 countries of Southeast Asia region have expressed their commitment to strengthening emergency preparedness capacities by scaling up risk assessment, increasing investments, and enhancing implementation of multisectoral plans.
During a regional meeting organised by the World Health Organization, health ministers of Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor-Leste made the commitment.
The meeting that had begun in New Delhi this Monday adopted the ‘Delhi Declaration – Emergency Preparedness in the South-East Asia Region’ on Wednesday, the UN health agency informs.
“The Delhi declaration calls for four key initiatives – identify risks by mapping and assessing vulnerabilities for evidence-based planning, implement measures for disaster risk reduction; prepare and operationalise readiness, “The commitment to invest more, also emphasises continued and greater support to South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF)’s preparedness stream.”
The declaration also calls for implementing, monitoring, testing and adequately funding national action plans on disaster risk management, emergency preparedness and response.
Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Upendra Yadav has led the Nepali delegation to the meeting.
