Khairy leads Malaysian delegation to 72nd WPRCM in Japan

PUTRAJAYA: Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin is leading a Malaysian delegation to the 72nd World Health Organisation Western Pacific Region Committee Meeting (WPRCM) in Himeji, Japan scheduled for today until Oct 29.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement said Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah and its senior officials were also in the delegation which departed yesterday.

“The WPRCM this time will discuss the issues and resolutions already agreed upon at the 74th World Health Assembly (WHA) held online from May 24 to June 1, 2021, as well as the proposed agenda for the 75th WHA to be held in May next year.

“Among the arising issues to be discussed at the 72nd WPRCM are primer healthcare, Covid-19, school health, the technical programme progress report, as well as coordination and leadership,” it said in the statement.

During the five-day meeting, Khairy will also have a series of bilateral meetings with a number of countries to discuss strategic issues and invited to speak at a special session themed, ‘Communication for Health’ on Oct 28 as part of his programme there.

He is also scheduled to make an intervention statement on the report by WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, Dr Takeshi Kasai, thus finalising the discussion agenda on health security and antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and ageing, climate change, environment and health, as well as the proposed new vision titled, ‘For the Future’.

MOH said Malaysia’s presence at the 72nd WPRCM was a manifestation of Malaysia’s full commitment to always support the integrated actions of all the member countries in the prevention, control and treatment of infectious diseases, NCDS and newly arising diseases.

Describing Malaysia’s participation in the meeting as important, MOH said it was to ensure that the country’s policies be given consideration by WHO in making better decisions.

“Malaysia will also have the opportunity to state its stand in developing the health sector at the national and international levels,” it said.

Besides Malaysia, the other 36 WHO Western Pacific Region member countries include Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Brunei, Cambodia, China and the Philippines. Its main secretariat is the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) in Manila.