Colombo will host the 69th World Health Organization Southeast Asia meeting on Sept. 5-9. Top of the agenda will be setting health priorities for the region.

Health ministers from 11 Southeast Asian countries will discuss ways to combat noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, as well as cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases.

According to WHO, noncommunicable diseases have been one of the main causes of death in the region, killing 8.5 million people across Southeast Asia.

The ministers will also set standards of emergency health responses according to International Health Regulations, work out an effective way to reduce maternal and child mortality and accelerate improvement in health standards in accordance with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals.

The meeting will be opened by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, WHO Director General Dr. Margaret Chan, and WHO Southeast Asia director Dr. Poonam Khetrapal Singh.

The WHO regional committee meets annually in one of the 11 member states: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

(Jakarta Globe)