Sri Lanka to attend WHO South-East Asia regional meeting in Timor-Leste

Sri Lanka will participate in the 79th session of the World Health Organization’s Regional Committee for South-East Asia, to be held in Dili, Timor-Leste, from 7 to 10 September.

Health and Mass Media Minister Dr Nalinda Jayatissa will lead the Sri Lankan delegation, which leaves for Timor-Leste on Sunday.

Jayatissa, who was elected Chair of the Committee at its 78th session in Colombo last year, will continue in the role until a successor is elected at the opening of this year’s meeting.

The session will focus on health workforce development, universal health coverage, digital health, artificial intelligence and efforts to eliminate diseases, including tuberculosis.

Delegates will also consider adopting the Dili Declaration on equitable access to specialised care.

Jayatissa is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with several regional health ministers and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.