BY Rokiah Mahmud

Health ministers and representatives from 37 member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the Western Pacific Region (WPR) are attending the 73rd Regional Committee Meeting in Manila, Philippines from October 24-28.

Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar is leading the Brunei delegation, which includes senior officers from the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The annual meeting aims to review the progress and key public health issues in the WPR and globally, drawing attention to areas that include cervical cancer, mental health, control and prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), reaching the unreached, and basic healthcare.

Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham paid a courtesy visit to WHO Officer-in-Charge for the WPR Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab to discuss the statement of commitment of the West Asia Pacific Regional Office, WHO helping member countries in dealing with various aspects of health – including those related to emergency preparedness and management of COVID-19, access to medicine and vaccines, NCDs, antimicrobial resistance and importance of basic healthcare.

Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham also held bilateral discussions on cooperation in the field of health with Malaysian Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin; Japanese Advisor to Minister of Welfare, Labour and Health Suzuki Yasuhiro; and Officer in-Charge of the Health Department of Philippines Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire.

Talks were also held with the Far Eastern University, with a visit made to learn more about health science trainings, especially in the field of nursing.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin