India along with 10 other member countries of WHO's South-East Asian Regional
Committee on September 9, 2016 decided to set up a
dedicated fund aimed at building preparedness
for health emergencies in the region. The
joint funding stream will be established under the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency
Fund (SEARHEF). The decision was made at the 69th Session
of WHO Regional Committee Meeting held at Colombo, Sri Lanka. The decision would help the member countries to invest in
human resources and infrastructure at times of
emergencies, as it is one of the most disaster-prone regions. Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia, said that post-disaster funding through South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund had done an excellent job of helping countries respond to health emergencies once they had occurred, as was seen most recently in Nepal and Sri Lanka. The new funding stream will allow countries to invest in infrastructure and human resources that will
enhance preparedness.
In
the recent years, earthquakes, cyclones and floods have caused health emergencies
in south-east Asian region and it has also been threatened by a range of
emerging diseases, including SARS, NIERS CoV, pandemic
influenza and Zika virus. WHO South-East Asia Region Committee
comprises 11 member states namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, South Korea, India,
Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Timor-Leste. Establishing
a joint funding stream under the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency
Fund (SEARHEF) to help countries better prepare for such events was seen by member countries as
a key priority for the Regional health
agenda. At present, SEARHEF funds are disbursed only once a disaster has occurred.
In
addition, the member countries also passed a resolution for
promoting physical activity and expanding health workforce across
the region. Insufficient physical activity is a major contributor to rising rates of non-communicable diseases in the region, with four-fifths of adolescents not getting enough of it. The session also passed a resolution on health workforce strengthening which is vital to achieving universal health coverage—a key part of the Sustainable Development Goal of leaving no one behind.
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