Photo for illustration. Source: wpro.who.int

 

Hanoi will be the venue for the 63rd session of World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, scheduled to take place from September 24-28.

Head of the Ministry of Health’s International Cooperation Department Tran Thi Giang Huong released the information on August 28.

According to Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, the meeting is a good chance for international organisations and other countries to understand more about the country’s health care services.

The event also offers an opportunity for Vietnamese and international policy makers and experts to share experience.

The opening ceremony is expected to welcome Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, WHO Director General Margaret Chan and WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Shin Young-soo, together with senior officials and 500 delegates.

Minister Tien will chair the session, while Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long will lead the Vietnamese delegation to the event.

The session will discuss rising health issues in the region, make policies and adopt WHO action plans in the coming years with the aim of improving health care services in the region.

Among the topics to be reviewed are the rising prevalence of noncommunicable diseases, violence and injury prevention, neglected tropical diseases, tobacco control, malaria and artemisinin resistance, HIV prevention and treatment, measles elimination, the health-related Millennium Development Goals and health financing.

To date, preparation work has been well implemented. Apart from four training courses, the Foreign Ministry organised a global diplomatic health seminar that helped improve local officials’ negotiation and speech writing skills.

Source: VNA