MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) – The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific Region has noted the region's progress in fighting vaccine-preventable diseases and safeguarding people from emergencies, and called for further efforts in the news release after its 65th session Wednesday.
"The Region achieved polio-free status in 2000, and is moving towards elimination of measles and maternal and neonatal tetanus. Member States are accelerating control of rubella and hepatitis B; introducing new vaccines; and improving immunization coverage. The Regional Framework will guide these efforts and support countries to achieve regional and global immunization goals," the WHO Regional Committee stated.
The Committee also reviewed progress in technical issues, such as improving national surveillance systems for the rapid detection of viruses, modernizing food control coordination mechanisms and inspection services, and other spheres.
The Committee also stated that WHO Western Pacific Member States are expected to achieve some of the health-related Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
Strategies and activities that ministries of health should adopt in order to achieve further success are outlined in the Western Pacific Regional Framework for Action for Disaster Risk Management for Health.
The Western Pacific Region is one of six regions that the World Health Organization oversees and it comprises 37 states with more than one-fourth of the world's population. Apart from highly developed countries, the region includes the least developed on the planet with alarming health situations. Moreover, the region is prone to health threats due to environmental conditions – frequent earthquakes, tsunamis and floods.
