The technical session of the 78th Regional Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) for South and Southeast Asia commenced this afternoon (13) in Colombo, focusing on the region’s progress toward achieving health development goals.
The session was attended by WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Dr. Katharina Boehme, health ministers representing eight countries, ambassadors from two nations, and WHO experts. Delegates from each member country shared their progress and insights on meeting their respective technical health development targets.
Presenting the 2024 Annual Performance Report on Overcoming Health Challenges in the Region, Dr. Katharina Boehme highlighted key health challenges faced by the region over the past year and the strategies implemented to address them. She also reviewed the progress made by countries in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) targets.
Sri Lanka’s efforts in controlling and preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were especially commended during the session. The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros, praised the Sri Lankan Government’s strong commitment to improving health services, not only for its own citizens but also in contributing to the broader regional health agenda.
As Chairman of the Regional Conference, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, reaffirmed the region’s dedication to advancing health development goals through shared cooperation and innovation.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media expressed gratitude to the World Health Organization for its continued support in strengthening Sri Lanka’s efforts in combating non-communicable diseases and enhancing mental health services.
