ASEAN members committed to collaboration in health development

PHUKET, THAILAND, July 5 (TNA) - ASEAN members reiterate their commitment for joint collaboration on health development in their biannual ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in Phuket, Thailand. Thailand is hosting the 11th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting and related events from July 2-6 in the island province where participating officials from 10 ASEAN members, their dialogue partners and international institutions have discussed a wide range of health issues. The ministers began their discussion Thursday morning with an informal retreat focusing on three topics; Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), tobacco control and Alcohol control. They later gathered in the official opening of the 11th AHMM in the afternoon. ASEAN Secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said as ASEAN Community would be formed in 2015 ASEAN countries needed to ensure not only successes in economic integration and political stability but in the health care systems for the peoples. To achieve that goal, Surin underlined the importance of the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to provide essential health services for “healthier ASEAN.” ASEAN members have agreed to accelerate the progress towards UHC in all countries by building up capacity to assess and manage equitable health systems. Meanwhile, Thai Minister of Public Health Witthaya Buranasiri said the ministers paid great attention to these common health threats in the region. For NCDs, the ministers agreed to improve access to medical service to NCD prevention and treatments. The ministers also exchanged ideas and experiences on tobacco control measures including excise tax, corporate social responsibility and suppression against cigarettes smuggling. Wittaya added that smoking and alcohol were major causes of NCDs among ASEAN populations; therefore, ASEAN had sought to facilitate more effective control measures while promoting healthy lifestyles and diet. On Friday, the ASEAN health ministers will meet their counterparts from the Plus Three countries, China, Japan and South Korea in the 5th ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting. The biannual meeting this year is held under the theme of “ASEAN Community 2015: Opportunities and Challenges to Health.” (TNA)