PERMANENT MISSION OF NEPAL
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
GENEVA
Press Release
Honourable Mr. Khaga Raj Adhikari, Minister for Health and Population and Head of the Nepalese Delegation, addressed the 68th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva today. While providing the Assembly an account of the enormous challenges faced by Nepal in the aftermath of the disaster,heacknowledged and appreciated international community, including WHO,for the immediate response and the hands of support they provided immediately after the deadly disaster. He also thanked the President of the World Health Assembly, Honourable Minister for Health and Family Welfare of India, and other WHO Member States for their words of condolences and solidarity with Nepal and its people. The full text of Minister’s statement is attached herewith.
Earlier this morning, Honourable Minister had a bilateral meeting with Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of WHO. During the meeting, Minister Adhikari thanked and commended Dr. Chan and the entire WHO system for assisting the Government of Nepal in addressing the health needs of people affected by the recent devastating earthquakes. Apprising Dr. Chan of the completion of rescue and relief operations, he informed her that Nepal has entered into rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, and that Government of Nepal expects WHO’s technical assistance to rebuild and revitalize the collapsed health systems in the affected areas to make them more robust and resilient. Dr. Chan appreciated Government of Nepal for its response and leadership in the coordination of relief efforts during the trying time, and assured that WHO would fully support the Government’s health sector recovery plan.
Also this afternoon, Honorable Minister participated as a panelist in a side event on Nepal themeentitled “The Response to the Nepal Earthquakes, 2015-the Value of Preparedness” organized under the auspices of the WHO Secretariat. Dwelling on the impacts of the recent earthquakes on Nepal’s health system, he highlighted the Government’s needs and priorities in terms of rebuilding the shattered health infrastructures and revitalizing the system with robust and resilient features. Director General Dr. Margaret Chan, Dr. Poonam K. Singh, WHO Regional Director of South-East Asia Region and Dr. Bruce Aylward, Special Representative of WHO DG on Ebola, who were also on the panel, spoke about the WHO’s response to Nepal earthquakes, and the value of preparedness to tackle with such eventualities. Likewise, the event also featured a videoconference from Nepal emergency response team, including the presentations by Mr. Shanta Bahadur Shrestha, Secretary of Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), and Mr. Mahendra Prasad Shrestha, Chief of the Policy and Planning, and International Coordination Division of MoHP,about the MoHP’s response to the recent earthquakes.Dr. Roderico Ofrin, WHO’s Emergency Health Response Manager, also highlighted the current health sector needs and requirements in Nepal through the video conference. It may be noted that the event was attended by a large number of delegates from WHO Member States and their Permanent Missions in Geneva, and the representatives from UN and other humanitarian agencies.
On the sidelines of the World Health Assembly, Honourable Minister had bilateral meeting with his counterparts from Thailand, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Afghanistan and Indonesia on several occasions, and expressed his gratefulness for standing with Nepal in the difficult hours. He appreciated all those who have been extending generous support from their sides. The Ministers were very positive in providing additional possible support on specific requests from Nepal.
Honourable Minister also met with the CEO of Gavi Alliance, Mr. Seth Berkely; Executive Director of Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), Ms. Robin Gorna; and the representative from Doctors without Borders (MSF) and discussed how their support could be dovetailed into the national efforts.
TheNepalese delegation to the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly led by the Honourable Minister comprised of Mr. Deepak DhitalAmbassador/Permanent Representative Permanent Mission of Nepal, Dr. Padam Chand, Chief Specialist of MoHP, and other officials of the Permanent Mission of Nepal. It may be noted that the World Health Assembly is the legislative body of WHO that meets annually. The 68th Assembly is being held from 18 to 26 May 2015. The theme of general discussions of this year's Assembly is “building resilient health systems”.
Permanent Mission of Nepal
Geneva
20 May 2015
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81, rue de la Servette, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: ++41(0)22 733 2600/2621, Fax: ++41(0)22 733 2722,E-mail: