Eleven Health Ministers In South East Asia Region Reaffirmed Their Commitment To Control,Eliminate And Eradicate Negelcted Tropical Diseases(NTD) From Region

Health Ministers who are participating the ongoing World Health Organization's South East Asia Regional Health Ministers Summit have reaffirmed yesterday(06) their commitment to achieve time bound targets to control,eliminate and eradicate Neglected Tropical Diseases(NTD's) including Lymphatic Filariasis(Which already eliminated from Sri Lanka),Leprosy,Yaws,Schistosomiasis and Visceral Leishmeniasis  which continue to burden the marginalized populations in the region according to the Director of WHO for South East Asia Region Dr.Poonam Ketrapal Singh.

"In recently Sri Lanka and Maldives are being recognized as free from Lymphatic Filariasis and India free from the NTD Yaws ,But efforts must be scaled up against NTD's if we are to meet our targets " Dr.Singh has stated.

At least one NTD is endemic in each member country of the WHO South East Asia Region,While the region bears the second highest burden of these infections in the world she has stressed.The NTD's targeted for  elimination in the South East Asia Region by the year 2020 including Lymphatic Filaraisis,Yaws,Leprosy and Schistosomiasis and the NTD Visceral Leishmeniasis  known as "Kala-Azar" is targeted for eliminate by the year 2017 the South East Asia Regional Director has added.   

"Maintaining  political commitment,resource allocation ,strengthening surveillance,empowering and involving communities in elimination efforts and maintaining  a targeted approach are key to achieving our goals .Like any other disease elimination and eradication programme as we move towards the last mile of elimination,new issues and challanges are emerging that need to be carefully addressed to keep the  elimination process on track " Dr.Singh has further stated.

The Regional Director also expressed WHO's ongoing support to countries striving to lift the Neglected Tropical Disease burden,pledging the WHO's technical expertise in identifying barriers and finding innovative solutions,facilitating cross-border cooperation and working with partners to support efforts of the countries.