India to host fifth meeting of SAARC health ministers

Indian will host the fifth meeting of SAARC health ministers next week to deliberate on key issues including HIV/AIDS, prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases and to strengthen collaborations amongst the nations.

"The meeting will deliberate on a road map for strengthening collaboration among SAARC countries on a number of issues and challenges faced by them.

"Some of the prominent health issues to be discussed include prevention and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, disease surveillance network, health infrastructure, human resources for health, immunisation for vaccine preventable diseases, HIV/AIDS, mental health and others," an official statement said.

The health ministers will also discuss adoption of the "Delhi Declaration" affirming their commitment to work together in identified areas and further strengthen health collaboration with agreed road map and timelines, in the meeting scheduled to take place on April 8.