Health Minister attends WHO meetings in India

NAY PYI TAW, 14 Sept— A Myanmar delegation led by Minister for Health Dr Kyaw Myint
arrived back here this morning after attending the 26th Health Ministers’ meeting of Southeast Asian Regional WHO and the 61st Regional Committee’s meeting held in New
Delhi, the Republic of India from 8 to 11 September.
The 26th Health Ministers’ meeting was held at Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi on 8 September, attended by ministers of health, deputy ministers, health secretaries and officials of Myanmar, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Nepal, Bhutan, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor Leste, the Director-General of WHO in Geneva, Switzerland and officials, the Director of the Office of WHO those from UN agencies and social organizations.
In his address, Minister Dr Kyaw Myint said that Myanmar is carrying out work programmes to be implemented under the International Health Programmes (2005), and it has drawn plans to address health problems.
Myanmar has formed a group of O & G specialists and paediatricians and efforts are being made for reducing the child mortality while striving for success of anti-tobacco campaign
as a national duty, he added. In that regard, the government laid down the anti-tobacco law on 4 May 2006 and steps are being taken for the people to abide by the law.
In the afternoon of 8 September, Minister Dr Kyaw Myint met with Director-General of WHO Dr Margaret Chan at Ashoka Hotel. At the meeting, Dr Margaret Chan said that she was pleased to hear that Myanmar was able to cope with relief and rehabilitation of storm-hit regions as quickly as possible and WHO wishes to continue to provide assistance to the nation.
Minister Dr Kyaw Myint said that Myanmar thanked WHO for its medical equipment and
technological assistance in relief and rehabilitation of storm-ravaged regions, and that in reconstruction of health establishments, durable buildings were built in accord with the
guidance of the Head of State.
Minister Dr Kyaw Myint and party on 9 September attended the 61st Regional Committee
meeting held at the office of SEA Regional WHO in New Delhi. The 26th Health Ministers’ meeting continued and the meeting approved the New Delhi Declaration. On 10 September, the 61st Regional Committee’s meeting continued. In his speech, Minister Dr Kyaw Myint said that hospitals, dispensaries and health care centres were destroyed in the storm on 3 May 2008, and the storm also left health staff homeless.
The Ministry of Health in cooperation with UN agencies, local and international social organizations was able to carry out relief and rehabilitation tasks in time, he added. And Myanmar thanked ministries of health of ASEAN nations and neighbouring countries for their participation in the relief and rehabilitation tasks.
On 11 September, the 61st Regional Committee’s meeting continued and those present approved Nepal as a host nation to hold the 27th Health Ministers’ meeting and the 62nd Regional Committee’s meeting, and Thailand as a host nation to hold the 28th Health
Ministers’ meeting and the 63rd Regional Committee’s meeting.
Members of Myanmar delegation Deputy Director-General of Health Department Dr Kyaw Nyunt Sein, Director Dr Saw Lwin, Deputy Director Dr Win Maung and Assistant Director Dr Kyaw Khine also arrived back on the same flight.