Eleven Health Ministers In The South And South East Asia Region Including Sri Lankan Health Minister Adapted A Colombo Declaration To Combat Against NCD's

Eleven Health Ministers representing South And South East Asia Region including Sri Lankan Health Minister had today (05) adapted a "Colombo Declaration"which calls for strengthening the delivery of services for non communicable diseases(NCD's) which killed 8.5 million people Annually in the South East Asia Region at the primary health care level.

"Accordingly high risk populations must be provided all opportunities to access screening and treatment in the region "The Director of World Health Organization (WHO) for South East Asia Region Dr.Poonam Ketrapal Singh has stated.

"This is an important opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to the global goal of reducing non communicable diseases related premature mortality by one third by 2030" she has stressed.

Under the Colombo Declaration Health Ministers in the region committed themselves to advocating for innovative financing methods including dedicated taxation  of health damaging commodities such as tobacco,alcohol,unhealthy  food and beverages it has been revealed.

The Colombo Declaration has been adapted on the first day of the Health Ministers Summit of the South and South East Asia Region which was inaugurated today (05).