Sri Lanka to host 2014 SAARC Regional Health Ministers summit

Sri Lanka will host the 5th SAARC Regional Health Ministers summit, the Health Ministry has announced.

The Health Ministry has said that the decision to hold the summit in Sri Lanka has been taken following a proposal submitted by Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena at the 2012 SAARC Regional Health Ministers held in Maldives on April 12.

Maldives President Dr. Mohamed Waheed inaugurated the 4th meeting of SAARC health ministers’ summit.

The meeting brought together the Health Ministers and high-level delegations from the eight SAARC Member States to discuss strategies to improve the public health in the region.

Sri Lanka has also submitted a proposal to eradicate rabies from the South Asian region and it has received approval.

Accordingly, plans will be formulated to eradicate rabies from the South Asian region by the year 2015, the report said.