Health Secretary Francisco Duque III/ PHOTO by EDWIN BACASMAS
MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Francisco Duque III was elected as this year’s chairperson of the World Health Organization Western Pacific’s regional committee.
The Department of Health said on Wednesday that the committee is composed of 37 member states in the Western Pacific region.
The committee is a governing body composed of health ministers and senior officials from Western Pacific member countries that meet annually to discuss the region’s health issues.
DOH said Duque will lead discussions on the coronavirus pandemic, vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization, aging and health, safe and affordable surgical interventions, and the program budget for 2022 to 2023.
“They convene every year to formulate policies, provide oversight for regional programs, report on their projects and consider, revise and endorse new initiatives,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said.
“The resolution and decisions adopted during the session will guide the work of the regional and country offices for the following year which is 2021,” she added.