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Progress Reports on Selected Regional Committee Resolutions

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Progress Reports on Selected Regional Committee Resolutions REGIONAL COMMITTEE Provisional Agenda item 9 Seventy-third Session SEA/RC73/9 (Virtual) Thailand 9–10 September 2020 29 July 2020 Progress reports on selected Regional Committee resolutions This document includes the progress reports on the following selected Regional Committee resolutions/decisions: 1. Promoting physical activity in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC69/R4); 2. South-East Asia Regional Action Plan to implement the Global Strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol (2014–2025) (SEA/RC67/R4); 3. Access to medicines (SEA/RC70(3)); 4. South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEA/RC60/R7); 5. Expanding the scope of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) (SEA/RC69/R6); 6. Strengthening emergency medical teams (EMTs) in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC71/R5); 7. Intensifying activities towards control of dengue and elimination of malaria in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC71/R4); 8. Measles and rubella elimination by 2023 (SEA/RC72/R3); and 9. Challenges in polio eradication (SEA/RC60/R8). The High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the Seventy-third Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia, held virtually on 7–8 July 2020, reviewed each progress report and made recommendations, which have been consolidated as an addendum (SEA/RC73/9 Add. 1) to this Working Paper, for consideration by the Seventy-third Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia. The related Regional Committee resolutions/decisions covered in this Agenda item are appended to this Working Paper as Addendum 2 (SEA/RC73/9 Add. 2). CONTENTS Page No. 1. Promoting physical activity in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC69/R4) ...................... 1 2. South-East Asia Regional Action Plan to implement the Global Strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol (2014-2025) (SEA/RC67/R4)........................................... 4 3. Access to medicines (SEA/RC70(3)) ............................................................................... 8 4. South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEA/RC60/R7) ............................... 11 5. Expanding the scope of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) (SEA/RC69/R6) .................................................................................. 15 6. Strengthening emergency medical teams (EMTs) in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC71/R5) ................................................................................................. 17 7. Intensifying activities towards control of dengue and elimination of malaria in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC71/R4) .............................................................. 20 8. Measles and rubella elimination by 2023 (SEA/RC72/R3) ............................................ 28 9. Challenges in polio eradication (SEA/RC60/R8) ........................................................... 31 SEA/RC73/9 1. Promoting physical activity in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC69/R4) Background 1. Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for premature death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), causing 3.2 million deaths a year globally. 1 Physical inactivity together with sedentary behaviours increase the risk of many NCDs. Regular physical activity is a known protective factor for the prevention and management of NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and breast and colon cancer.2,3,4 2. Current global estimates of physical inactivity show that worldwide, 27.5% of adults5 and 81% of adolescents6 do not meet the existing WHO recommendations on physical activity for health2, with no improvement registered on this over the last decade. The prevalence of physical inactivity among the adult population of the WHO South-East Asia Region was 15% and that of inadequate physical activity among adolescents was 74%. 3. The Region also has a high gender discrepancy in physical activity (PA) levels. Apart from adolescents, women, older adults, underprivileged groups and poor people, and those with disabilities and chronic diseases are more likely to be physically inactive. 4. Effective promotion of physical activity needs a comprehensive framework, covering interventions that focus on individuals, targeted population groups and universally across populations. 5. Yoga has been integrated into traditional practices of physical and mental forms of exercise since ancient times, and contributes to the health and wellness of the people. The International Day for Yoga was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2014. This day has been observed on 21 June every year since 2015, and is gaining momentum and popularity all over the world as a means to promote a healthy lifestyle. Progress made in the WHO South-East Asia Region 6. The WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013–2020 has envisaged the promotion of physical activity through multisectoral and multi-stakeholder engagement. One of the “best buys” for the prevention and control of NCDs is the implementation of nationwide public education and awareness campaigns on physical activity. 7. The Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (GAPPA) 2018–2030 7 sets out four strategic objectives and 20 policy actions. This Action Plan was endorsed by the World Health Assembly and 1 Global Status Report on noncommunicable diseases 2014. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2014. http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/148114/9789241564854_eng.pdf;jsessionid=4870129E7E2FC83BCFC8B2 ABEA8FD92B?sequence=1 - accessed 5 June 2020. 2 Global recommendations on physical activity for health. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2010. 3 Lee IM, Shiroma EJ, Lobelo F, Puska P, Blair SN, Katzmarzyk PT, et al. Effect of physical inactivity on major non- communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy. Lancet. 2012;380(9838):219-29. 4 McTiernan A, Friedenreich CM, Katzmarzyk PT, Powell KE, Macko R, Buchner D, et al. Physical activity in cancer prevention and survival: A systematic review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(6):1252-61. 5 Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Worldwide trends in insufficient physical activity from 2001 to 2016: a pooled analysis of 358 population-based surveys with 1.9 million participants. Lancet Glob Health. 2018;6(10):e1077-e86. 6 Guthold R, Stevens GA, Riley LM, Bull FC. Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1.6 million participants. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2020;4(1):23-35. 7 Global Action Plan on physical activity 2018-2030: more active people for a healthier world. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2018. SEA/RC73/9 Page 2 included a call for WHO to update the 2010 Global Recommendations on Physical Activity for Health.2 8. The GAPPA recommends Member States to adopt the voluntary global target of 15% reduction of prevalence of physical inactivity by 2030. This is an extension from the 10% relative reduction of physical inactivity by 2025 (resolution WHA66.10). The target of 15% reduction is achievable considering the opportunity provided by GAPPA to accelerate actions and work in coordination with all relevant stakeholders. The resolution requested the Secretariat to further develop a monitoring framework by 2018, which will consist of impact and process indicators to monitor the implementation of this Action Plan. 9. The Regional Committee resolution on Promoting physical activity in the South-East Asia Region (SEA/RC69/R4) was unanimously adopted at the Sixty-ninth session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in Colombo in 2016. Challenges being faced 10. The Regional Office has implemented the Regional Committee resolution SEA/RC69/R4 on physical activity and sedentary behaviours. All SEA Region Member States have a clear national policy to promote physical activity integrated into existing policy frameworks of NCD prevention and control, healthy lifestyle campaign and health promotion. School health programmes in all countries also include an element of promotion of physical activity. Few countries, however, have a clear policy to address sedentary behaviour at the national level. 11. Most SEA Region Member States have installed surveillance systems, which contain survey elements on physical activity among adult and youth populations. These include the NCD STEP Survey, Global School Health Survey, District Health Survey and National Health Exam Survey. 12. The Regional Office for South-East Asia also supported the involvement of experts and nominated delegations from Member States of the Region for the development of GAPPA. 13. The Regional Office for South-East Asia has also emerged as a role model for physical activity, including for promoting PA at the WHO Governing Body and other meetings in the Region. 14. Good practices in the Region have been shared through WHO channels, including the WHO Bulletin and websites. These include promoting physical activity in public spaces, discussing the roles of the local government in its promotion in Thailand and India, the School Health Programme in Sri Lanka, and the setting up of open-air gymnasiums in Bhutan and Timor-Leste. 15. India is launching “Fit India Mission” by developing the Age Appropriate Fitness Protocols and Guidelines, which aim to improve physical fitness for all ages at the community level. Similarly, Maldives established outdoor gymnasiums and provided training to communities in their use in 10 different islands to promote physical activity. 16. The Regional
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