Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Geela Ali has delivered the Southeast Asia regional statement at the 79th World Health Assembly, calling for stronger international cooperation and equitable long-term financing to strengthen global public health security.

Delivering the One Voice statement on behalf of countries in the South-East Asia region, the minister described the reshaping of global health as a shared responsibility and stressed the importance of moving from fragmentation towards greater global coherence in healthcare systems and policy coordination.

The statement highlighted that despite ongoing economic and geopolitical challenges, countries in the region have continued to make significant progress in disease control, emergency preparedness and digital health development. It also noted achievements in tobacco control policies targeting youth, alongside progress in eliminating several diseases across the region.

According to the statement, Southeast Asian countries have identified three key priorities for global health reform. These include strengthening countries’ capacity to pursue shared health goals through evidence-based decision-making, ensuring fair and sustainable financial assistance for health security, and enhancing international cooperation to address regional and global health challenges.

The statement further stressed the need for strong and effective leadership at all levels of the World Health Organization, while emphasising the importance of recognising regional contexts in shaping global health responses and policies.

Concluding the address, the regional bloc called on countries to work collectively through cooperation and shared responsibility to address global health challenges and improve health outcomes worldwide.