Saima Wazed, the Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia Region, emphasized the importance of ensuring universal access to quality healthcare. She highlighted that to fulfill the right to health, it is essential to make both health services and underlying determinants available, accessible, acceptable, and of adequate quality.

In a statement ahead of World Health Day, she stressed the need for creating conditions where everyone can access high-quality health facilities, services, and goods that prioritize people’s needs, understanding, and dignity. This includes not only healthcare services but also factors such as education, safe water and food, adequate housing, good working conditions, environmental conditions, and information.

Wazed reiterated that the right to the highest attainable standard of mental and physical health is fundamental, as enshrined in WHO's constitution. She underscored the significance of this right, particularly in a world facing various crises, from diseases to disasters to conflicts and climate change.

While acknowledging progress in the South-East Asia region, including improvements in health coverage and reductions in mortality rates, Wazed also highlighted persisting challenges. These include significant portions of the population lacking essential health service coverage, inadequate investment in health by national governments leading to high out-of-pocket expenditures, and rising financial hardship in accessing basic healthcare.

Moreover, she pointed out disparities in healthcare access, with the poorest and vulnerable groups facing the greatest barriers, and gender inequalities affecting access to diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable health conditions.

Wazed emphasized the importance of addressing stigma, discrimination, and inequality in healthcare, advocating for a human rights-based approach that prioritizes equality, non-discrimination, participation, and accountability. She called for increased investments in health, effective laws for tobacco control and environmental protection, and improved availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality of health services for all.

In conclusion, Wazed reaffirmed WHO's commitment to advancing the right to health and other human rights, urging collective efforts to make the right to health a reality for all.