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World Malaria Day Wednesday, 25 April 2012

World Malaria Day was observed in Bhutan in Sershong Geog, Gelephu, at Norbuling Middle Secondary School. His Excellency Lyonpo Zangley Drukpa the Minister for Health, as Chief Guest, addressed a gathering of over 800 people comprising District Administration officials, media, teachers, students, local leaders and the community. His Excellency highlighted the importance of selecting Sershong Gewog being endemic for malaria, as a venue to observe this year’s World Malaria Day and urged that pro-active measures be taken for the prevention of malaria. This was followed by an exhibition on malaria by the students of Norbuling Middle Secondary School and visit to some of the nearby households. HE also interacted with the Community Action Group (CAG).

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- Study finds high prevalence of disabilities among children

- Regulation will hold employers responsible for health and safety of workers

- Road Safety action plan to go multi-sectoral

- Plans to beat the bottle

- AWP presence a positive development

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Save Lives, Clean Your Hands Campaign

The “Save Lives, Clean Your Hands” (SLCYH) annual initiative is part of a major global effort led by the World Health Organization to support health-care workers to improve hand hygiene in health care and thus support the prevention of often life threatening Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI).

The event first launch on 5 May 2009 and since then 5 May every year, is observed as part of an annual campaign.

The World Health Organization today raised the alarm about the large number of Health care-associated infections (HCAI) acquired during medical or surgical procedures. These infections can result in prolonged hospital stay, long-term disability increased resistance to antibiotics and sometimes death. They substantially increase the financial burden on the patient and health systems. HCAI can be prevented and the burden reduced by as much as 50% or more through good hand hygiene.

On 5 May this year, WHO’s campaign, “Save lives: Clean Your Hands”, therefore focuses on the importance of hand hygiene in hospitals and health care facilities to reduce health care-associated infections.

In this context, some interesting information materials have been posted on the link http://www.searo.who.int/LinkFiles/HSD_SLCYH.pdf which you may wish to see.

World Malaria Day – 2012

25 April, 2012 | Drug resistance, financial constraints and inadequate public awareness threaten to reverse the gains achieved in malaria control in the past decade. On World Malaria Day, 25 April 2012, WHO is urging health and other sectors of society to invest more in malaria control to ensure that recent achievements in controlling this disease are sustained. With an estimated 28 million cases and 38 000 deaths in 2010, malaria remains a significant public health problem in WHO’s South-East Asia Region where around 1.32 billion people are at risk.

More information is available on South East Asia Regional Office website:

http://www.searo.who.int/EN/Section10.htm

World Health Day- 2012

World Health Day 2012 on the theme “Good Health Adds Life to Years” was celebrated in the Clock Tower in the centre of Thimphu. His Excellency Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa was the Chief Guest. The ceremony was attended by the Cabinet Secretary, Secretary Health, senior officials of the Royal Government of Bhutan and Ministry of Health, Embassies, UN and other agencies based in Bhutan, a large number of senior citizens, children from some city schools and health workers from neighbouring districts. A group of elderly artistes presented a cultural performance which was very well appreciated by all attendees as well as local residents of Thimphu. Posters relating to World Health Day theme and photographs from the elderly care project in Khaling District, piloted in collaboration with the Kyoto University Japan, were exhibited.

On 6 April 2012, the day before World Health Day, over 300 elderly people from the city and districts surrounding Thimphu underwent free health checks by the staff of the Ministry of Health and a team of volunteer doctors from Japan.

Ageing and Health (Dzongkha)

Regional Director’s message (my say)

Good Health adds life to years

The World Health Organization celebrates World Health Day on 7 April to mark its founding day. This year’s theme is Ageing and Health.

Ageing is a natural and inevitable process. For the past century and more mankind has been adding years to life. More people now survive the challenges of childbirth and childhood and live longer through adulthood to reach old age. This trend is not restricted to the resource-rich countries but has become a global phenomenon including the countries of South-East Asia. It has been estimated that over 8% of the population living in Member States of the World Health Organization’s South-East Asia Region are above the age of 60 years. This proportion is expected to increase to 12% by 2025, and to over 20% by 2050.

Blood Bank Vehicles

The WHO Representative, Dr Nani Nair, handed over three vans with blood banking equipment to the Ministry of Health to facilitate mobile blood banking services in the Bhutan, at a brief ceremony presided over by HE The Minister for Health Honourable Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa on 5th March, 2012.

Two portable CD4 machines were also handed over on the same day, to help improve access to this facility for PLWHA in the country.

Report on High Level Sensitization Workshop

The Ministry of Works and Human Settlement in collaboration with Ministry of Health and World Health Organization, Bhutan organized a one day high level sensitization workshop on Water Safety Plan on 12th December, 2011 at Tarayana Foundation, Thimphu. The Honorable Minister for Ministry of Works and Human Settlement graced the occasion as Chief Guest for the Workshop. Furthermore, the workshop was also attended by Honorable Education Minister, Health Minister, Member of Parliaments and Head of Water Agencies.

The Honorable Chief Guest, during this address, mentioned that one…. Read more…

Water Safety Plan

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National High-level Multi-Sectoral Advocacy Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases

Thimphu, Bhutan, 20 July 2011

ANational High-Level Multi-sectoral Advocacy Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) was organized on 20th July, 2011. The advocacy meeting was attended by the Minister of Health, Minister for Education, the Hon’ble Speaker, National Assembly of Bhutan the Attorney-General, the Leader of the Opposition, Secretaries and high level officials from all the Ministries of the Royal Government of Bhutan, as well as a number of Members of Parliament, District level staff and medical personnel from the national referral hospital as well as regional and some district level hospitals in Bhutan. Representatives from all UN and other development agencies represented in the country, NGOs and media also attended.

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National Health Policy Launched

The National Health Policy of Bhutan was launched on 29 July, 2011. “The policy re-emphasizes and recognizes the values of democracy, which is transparency and equity in the delivery of health services” said H E Lyonpo Zangley Dukpa at the launch which took place in the presence of all the relevant stakeholders and International Organizations. The Policy was developed with inputs from staff from the various districts, divisions and departments under the Ministry of Health, Members of the Parliament, concerned Ministries, agencies, NGOs and International Organizations. It also highlights the opinion of the general public, which was gathered by posting the documents on the Ministry’s website. The document was endorsed following successful screening of the policy document using the national policy screening tool and a series of deliberations within both the Ministry of Health and the Gross National Happiness Commission. Representatives from several Ministries, Agencies, Corporations, NGOs and the Private Sector attended the launch and were requested to comply with this policy document on all health related matters.