Bangkok--6 Aug--NARASYSTEM
Ministerial Regional Forum on Environment and Health in Southeast and East Asian Countries 8-9 August 2007, Bangkok, Thailand.
Ministry of Public Health pact with Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to facilitate 14 country synergy to tackle regional environmental and health challenges.
The Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Chulabhorn Research Institute (CRI) will jointly host the 1st Ministerial Regional Forum on Environment and Health — Southeast and East Asian Countries between 8-9th August, 2007, at the Plaza Ath?n?e hotel, Bangkok. The focus will be on the effects of global warming and environmental health issues faced by countries in this region.
Dr. Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala, Director-General of Department of Health, Ministry of Public Health, as chairman of the announcement of the upcoming Ministerial Regional Forum on Environment and Health — Southeast and East Asian Countries, disclosed the background for this meeting as having stemmed from having recognized that Thailand and other countries in the southeastern and eastern Asia faces significant common issues. The issues were environmental problems caused by changing global conditions including global warming and environmental deterioration — solid wastes, hazardous substances and wastes, pollutions, chronic diseases, disease outbreaks and epidemics.
The member countries, greatly aware of such issues, thus organized the First High Level Meeting on Environment and Health in Manila, Philippines in 2004. The forum was supported by WHO and UNEP. Five areas of concern were discussed: Air quality, water quality, toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes, poverty and changes in ecosystems and climate.
The member countries have since learned of new and upcoming challenges affecting the health of the population, economy, society, politics and ecosystems at national, regional and global level.
The Forum agreed that there needs to be national and regional recommendations from future events to reflect the need to strengthen collaboration in research, studies and education on environmental health. All levels of formal education are to receive updated and improved environmental health education content to boost awareness.
A year later in 2005, a second meeting was held to review and evaluate progress made since the first event. The meeting also proposed to draft the Charter of the Regional Forum on Environment and Health and discussed on establishing a regional centre on environment and health.
The upcoming event is the meeting for ministers and high level officials responsible for the environment and health of 14 Southeast Asian countries of Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and the East Asian countries of China, Japan, Mongolia and the Republic of Korea. The high level officials will meet on 8th August followed by ministerial meeting on 9th August. They will discuss and adopt the Charter of the Regional Forum on Environment and Health which will be the basis for their joint commitment to collective and individual country actions and call upon their international partners to support the implementation of this Charter.
The member governments will address the health impacts and implications of the following priority ideas of environmental concern at the local, national, regional and global levels: air quality; water supply, hygiene and sanitation; solid and hazardous wastes; toxic chemicals and hazardous substances; climate change, ozone depletion and ecosystem changes; and contingency planning, preparedness and response in environmental health emergencies. The meeting shall establish the Regional Work Plan on Environment and Health and form an organizational structure to achieve the intent and objectives of the Charter.
As for Thailand, the local work plan shall align with His Majesty the King’s philosophy on Sufficiency Economy and focus on extensive public hearings to achieve sustainable development. The plan is expected to be completed within this year.
The Director-General of Department of Health concluded that in order to successfully develop environmental health plan that can effectively deal with current and future issues a strong collaboration from all sectors are needed. As for concerned agencies, a human resource development plan will be devised to effectively implement the national work plan on environment and health. Public awareness and education on environmental preservation and personal health care shall also be promoted.
Dr.Narongsakdi Aungkasuvapala also believed that Thailand will benefit from this meeting through sharing and exchanging of knowledge and experiences from all overseas participants on management of environment and health issues which have become more and more complex, in part, due to global warming. The knowledge gained will benefit all Thais of every age group. The event will also mark a fresh renewal of agency collaboration within the country, especially between the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
For more information please call:
02-590-4025, 02-722-7311-3
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