79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region has commemnced New

The 79th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia Region has commenced today in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Health Ministers and senior officials from the 10 Member States of the Region are participating in this annual meeting, which serves as the highest policy-making and governing body of WHO in the South-East Asia Region.

A high-level delegation from the Maldives, led by the Minister of Health, Family and Welfare, H.E. Ms. Geela Ali, is participating in the meeting, which will be held from 7 to 10 September 2026.

The meeting is being attended by senior officials from the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office and WHO Headquarters, as well as representatives from partner organizations and other stakeholders.

The Ministerial Roundtable will be held during the Session under the theme “Human resources for health: Equity in specialized care.” The discussions will provide an opportunity for Member States to share experiences and perspectives on strengthening the health workforce and promoting equitable access to specialized health care across the Region.

In addition, the meeting will discuss key regional health priorities, including universal health coverage, health-related Sustainable Development Goals, disease elimination, tuberculosis, access to quality medical devices and in-vitro diagnostics, health facility resilience, digital health and artificial intelligence. Progress on maternal, newborn and child health, mental health, noncommunicable diseases, integrated eye care, primary health care, adolescent-responsive health systems, measles and rubella elimination, and regional health emergency preparedness and response will also be considered.

During the Session, the Maldives will also participate in discussions concerning the nomination of the Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Region. Maldives will have the opportunity to present its candidate for consideration for the position. The Maldives looks forward to engaging constructively with Member States throughout the process, in accordance with the established regional procedures.

Other matters, including WHO programme budget and financing, governance and management, and other regional and organizational matters, will also be discussed during the Session.

On the sidelines of the Regional Committee Meeting, the Maldivian delegation is expected to engage with representatives from Member States and partner organizations to discuss bilateral cooperation and opportunities for further collaboration in the health sector.