South Asian nations to collaborate on health care

Pakistan Telegraph (IANS) Tuesday 7th February, 2012

South Asian nations have resolved to tackle challenge of healthcare in the region collectively.

Country representates inked the 'New Delhi declaration' here Tuesday for better data-sharing and collaboration on healthcare in the region, director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) V.M. Katoch said.

"We want to solve the problems on healthcare together. Each country has had its own achievements and considering that we have cultural and social similarity, we must share our experiences on tackling diseases," Katoch, chief of India's premier health research body said on the concluding day of the 3-day South Asian Forum for Health Research (SAHFer).

Countries that participated in the SAHFer included Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Thailand among others. Thailand, though not geographically a part of South Asia, was invited for its achievement in health research.

The declaration includes a commitment on promoting research in the region, developing on health research, identifying areas for collaborative research, multi-country research, and data sharing.

"Some of the issues that were discussed were dengue, malaria, chikungunya, arsenic, climate change and its impact on health, and cholera. Multi-country collaboration teams have been formed for working on each disease," Katoch added.

While Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thaliand and India formed a team for research on dengue, maternal and child health had a team constituting Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, and India.

The ICMR chief admitted that the forum could not discuss what are seen as controversial issues such as anti-microbial resistance and drug-resistant tuberculosis that affects the South Asian region and accounts for a high mortality.