(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam, the host country of APEC Year 2017, has worked hard to achieve the goal of “Creating new dynamism, fostering a shared future.” This effort was reflected through the 7th High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy which concluded on Thursday in Ho Chi Minh city, as part of the APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM).
 The Vietnamese delegation at the 7th High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy (Photo: Nguyen Khang/VNA) |
The meeting, one of the important events of the year, aimed to realize APEC’s commitment to a healthy Asia-Pacific region.
Agenda addresses APEC concerns
Under the pressure of the 4th industrial revolution, APEC’s developing economies have been facing the problems of paying for health care: high out-of-pocket payment, poor access to health services in rural areas, a hospital-concentrated system, inefficient use of health care resources, and insufficient resources for prevention and treatment. The 7th High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy discussed public investment in health care, creation of additional financing, improving health for senior citizens, disease prevention, and building a sustainable health sector that provides health care for all. Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Health Le Quang Cuong said: “These topics and priorities were applauded by APEC’s 21 member economies, who reached a common understanding and commitment to implement a roadmap for the next few years. At this meeting, APEC members reviewed a plan of action on health care for 2017, and debated priorities and implementation of a roadmap for a healthy Asia-Pacific until 2020.”
Delegates praised the discussions on sustainable solutions that see health investments as economic growth investments. Ric Rocio Casido, Head of the APEC 2017 health working group, said: “This is important to tell everyone that Vietnam introduces two more dialogues, two relevant topics which enrich the health agenda in APEC this year.”
Health care, key to region’s inclusive, sustainable growth
Amid growing integration, cooperation, and exchanges between the 21 member economies, the coordination to prevent and control diseases has grown urgent. Vietnam, one of the leaders in preventing new and recurrent diseases, shared its own experience and pushed for further cooperation. The UN ranked Vietnam in the top ten countries which have achieved the Millennium Development Goals of reducing mother and child mortality and child malnutrition. Vietnam successfully contained the SARS epidemic in 2003 and other serious diseases: H5N1, H1N1, H7N9, and Ebola. Assoc. Prof. Tran Thi Giang Huong, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Health, said: “As new diseases emerge or recur in the region, the Vietnam-proposed agenda of cooperation to fight epidemics is receiving support from the other members, enhancing Vietnam’s role on this issue.”