Second RAI Intercountry High Level Meeting 03.03.2017

Dr Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, and H.E. Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health, together with Directors General of RAI countries, Nay Pyi Taw, 2 March 2017

Dr Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, and H.E. Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health, together with Directors General of RAI countries, Nay Pyi Taw, 2 March 2017

The Second RAI Intercountry High Level Meeting was hosted in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar and attended by high level officials of the five RAI countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam), along with partners from United Nations agencies, international and local partner organizations and donors.

The Second RAI Intercountry High Level Meeting was hosted in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, on 2 March and attended by high level officials of the five RAI countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam), along with partners from United Nations agencies, international and local partner organizations and donors.

The opening speech was given by H.E. Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health, followed by guest speeches by Dr Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund, Ambassador Koichi, Japanese Director of Global Issues, Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the Global Malaria Programme, World Health Organization.  

 

H.E. Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health, MOHS, delivers an opening speech
H.E. Dr Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Health, MOHS, delivers an opening speech

In his opening speech, H.E. Dr Myint Htwe stated that although malaria incidence and deaths have declined in the Greater Mekong Sub-region countries, many issues remain to be tackled. These include issues of drug resistant malaria parasites and insecticide resistant mosquitoes, mobile and migrant populations, mass migrations, emergence of fake and sub-standard malaria drugs, and access to quality basic healthcare services in hard-to-reach areas – which need scaling up of malaria prevention and control efforts with greater momentum.

H.E. Dr Myint Htwe continued that increased collaboration was needed with the private sector, private general practitioners, ethnic health partners, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, partner organizations and donors. He added that concerted effort within the Greater Mekong Sub-region was necessary because even if malaria elimination were attained in one of its countries, it could not be sustained given population mobility and migration in the region and its natural geographical proximity and connections. He concluded that all regional partners should work together towards achievement of malaria elimination in the region by 2030.

The High Level Meeting served as a platform to convene high level officials (Directors General or equivalent) from the region in the context of the new Global Fund regional malaria funding request (2018–2020) and to agree priorities for long-term and sustainable financing mechanisms for national malaria elimination strategies, together with shared priorities that may require regional financing. It encouraged intra-regional collaboration and development partner support to ensure that malaria elimination goals can be achieved. To follow on, a minister level meeting is planned in November 2017.

A story on the Second RAI Intercountry High Level Meeting was also featured on the Myanmar National TV channel, and it can be viewed here.