Health Ministers and officials from 11 South-East Asian countries have decided to accord high priority to key health issues like HIV-AIDS, routine immunization and nutrition. A resolution passed at the 64th session of WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia also agreed on new strategic directions, strengthening of the community-based health workforce and national essential drug policy.

While 5 lakh children die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases in South-East Asia Region, about 1 crore children are not covered by routine immunization. The delegates at the conference, which ended in Jaipur on Friday, also adopted a resolution to make 2012 the year of intensification of routine immunization. 70 per cent of the world’s malnourished children reside in the South-East Asia Region.

Many also suffer from several micronutrient deficiencies like iron and iodine. Countries also adopted the Regional Nutrition Strategy to address malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies. The Regional Committee urged Member States to make nutrition an integral part of a multisectoral national development agenda.