NEW DELHI: Health Ministers from eleven South-East Asian countries met at Jaipur recently to deliberate on health concerns pertaining to the World Health Organisation’s South-East Asian region. In their Jaipur Declaration on anti-microbial resistance, that is, drug resistance acquired by disease causing micro-organisms, the health ministers said it was a matter of concern and could obstruct global efforts to contain diseases like HIV / AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Calling for urgent preventive measures, they identified irrational drug use as the most important factor at work. They also committed themselves to formulating policies with respect to antibiotics, regulating the use of antimicrobial agents, and exercising vigilance with respect to the emergence and spread of further antimicrobial resistance.

Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO’s regional director for South-East Asia said, on the occasion of the meet, that non-communicable disease such as cancers, diabetes, chronic lung diseases and mental disorders were projected to rise steeply in the next decade, adding hugely to health costs. Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad too called for the containment of non-communicable disease, adding that in a poor country like India, these diseases hit the poor the most.

Source: Pharmabiz