World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committees are decision-making bodies comprising representatives of Member States of each WHO Region. The Committees meet annually to discuss and endorse regional policies, activities and financial plans related to the public health of all six regions. The meeting participants include ministers of health and high-level senior authorities from Member States, as well as civil society organizations, policy makers and academics.

As an organization with official relations status with the WHO, IAPO is part of a formal process of engagement with them. IAPO is, thus, able to participate in the Regional Committees and represent the global patient voice via ‘interventions’ on agenda items of interest to IAPO and its members.

This year, IAPO attended the WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee meeting, which happened between 2nd - 6th September, with the aim of raising awareness of two key issues for the global patient community: Patient safety and  Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

By reading interventions in the meetings, IAPO not only expressed its views on certain agenda items, but also promoted the organization to key stakeholders in the regions. In addition, the meeting was a great opportunity for IAPO to interact and discuss varied global health issues with patient groups, NGOs, officials from health departments and ministries, and WHO representatives.

Here below is a brief summary of the statements IAPO made at the SEARO Regional Committees:

• Agenda Item 8.1 Annual report on monitoring progress on UHC and the health-related SDGs
• Agenda Item 9.4 Patient Safety contributing to sustainable universal health coverage