WHO regional committee wraps up 63rd meeting in Hanoi

HANOI -- The 63rd session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific Region ended here Thursday with consensus reached on healthcare issues among 37 member states and regions.

This is the first time Vietnam hosted such kind of events. However, due to its experience in healthcare and prevention of epidemics, the meeting concluded satisfactorily with a goal to improve healthcare services for the region's 1.8 billion people.

Ten resolutions and plans of actions have been adopted during the meeting after more than 20 agenda items went through discussions, including the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, violence and injury prevention, tobacco control, malaria resistance, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (Aids) prevention and treatment, and so on.

Regional committee director Dr. Shin Young-soo, in his briefing evaluation, spoke highly of Vietnam's well-organized hosting of the meeting.

Dr. Shin said that the meeting's success is attributed to hard work and excellent contributions, including sharp comments, from participants and representatives from international organizations, including the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef).

The Western Pacific Region comprises 37 member states and a population of 1.8 billion people. Its regional committee, headquartered in Manila, is WHO's governing body in the region.

The 64th meeting is scheduled to be held in Manila, the Philippines, in 2013. (PNA/Xinhua/Sunnex)