17 October 2024, Doha, Qatar – The Seventy-first session of the Regional Committee for the Japanese Mediterranean (RC71), held underneath the theme Well being Past Borders, concluded right this moment in Qatar.
Following 4 days of intense discussions and the alternate of views and experiences between ministers of well being and representatives of Member States, companion organizations and WHO specialists, RC71 adopted a collection of resolutions that purpose to translate phrases into concrete insurance policies and actions.
“I want to thank Qatar for his or her beneficiant hospitality and glorious group,” stated Regional Director for the Japanese Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy.
“I additionally thank their Excellencies the ministers of well being, heads of delegations and delegates for his or her dedication, knowledge and information. We now have loved exceptionally wealthy and productive discussions all through the previous 4 days. Our conferences have been a terrific alternative to remind ourselves of what we are able to do.”
Held from 14 to 17 October 2024, RC71 convened because the Area is going through an unprecedented collection of emergencies. The 12-month warfare in Gaza, conflicts in Lebanon, Sudan and Yemen and extended crises in Afghanistan, Somalia and different international locations declare treasured lives each minute.
Towards this disturbing backdrop, the Area was capable of make substantial positive factors, not least in communicable illness management. Gulf international locations expanded their wholesome cities programmes, Egypt consolidated its place as a world chief in hepatitis C elimination and has gone on to remove malaria, Jordan grew to become the primary nation to remove leprosy and Pakistan eradicated trachoma.
Amongst different standout tales, the Islamic Republic of Iran put household training on the coronary heart of public well being efforts, regionally produced 96% of its drugs wants and maintained its place as a regional chief in medical analysis, and Iraq grew to become the primary nation globally to finish the polio transition course of.
Trauma and psychological well being wants in emergency settings, antimicrobial resistance, immunization and the digitalization of well being info techniques (HIS) have been among the many precedence well being points addressed within the resolutions adopted by RC71.
The Regional Committee formally endorsed the Strategic Operational Plan submitted by the Regional Director masking the work of the Regional Workplace for the subsequent 4 years and authorised 3 flagship initiatives that can function accelerators.
Expressing concern over the frequency of conflicts and pure disasters within the Area and the surge in trauma-related accidents and deaths, in addition to the rise in unmet psychological well being and psychosocial assist wants of individuals affected by emergencies, Regional Committee urged Member States to strengthen community-based trauma response and construct capacities at major well being care degree for preliminary administration of trauma and speedy referral, and endorsed a regional motion plan on psychological well being and psychosocial assist in emergencies.
The Japanese Mediterranean has the best and quickest rising ranges of antibiotic consumption of any WHO area. The Committee endorsed a regional, people-centred collaborative strategy to addressing AMR and urged Member States to undertake a One Well being strategy and contain all related stakeholders.
Whereas recognizing that Member States are making sustained efforts to implement digitalized HIS, Regional Committee famous that many international locations face ongoing challenges. RC71 endorsed a brand new regional technique to additional the digitalization course of and known as on the Regional Director to develop, adapt and share requirements for the digitalization of knowledge techniques in order that they match particular regional contexts.
RC71 additionally authorised the strategic framework for implementation of the Immunization Agenda 2030, the strategic framework for strengthening well being laboratory providers within the Area 2024–2029, and endorsed the regional technique to strengthen native vaccine manufacturing.
The following session of the Regional Committee will likely be held in Cairo from 9–13 October 2025.
