From August – October, the World Heart Federation – on behalf of RHD Action – will be sending representatives to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee Meetings, which are held each year to set policy and to approve budgets and programmes of work for each of the 6 WHO regions.

The six meetings each have a specific agenda which addresses pressing health issues in that region; NGOs attending the meetings – such as the WHF – are able to submit and deliver statements on these topics. The Regional Meetings also gather important health actors and decision-makers of one Region together at a time, presenting valuable opportunities to advocate for improved rheumatic heart disease (RHD) prevention and control.

A strong presence at the Regional Committee Meetings – through delegates from World Heart Federation staff and RHD experts from around the world – will allow RHD Action to:

• Have a strong advocacy presence across the meetings for RHD
• Receive updates from key WHO country offices and other stakeholders on the progress of RHD prevention and control in the Region
• Make statements during Agenda Items relevant to RHD during the meetings, and influence the course of the discussions
• To offer our support and expertise to Member States

The 6 Regional Committee Meetings will be taking place in:

• African Regional Office (AFRO) – 19-23 August 2016, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
• South-East Asian Regional Office (SEARO) – 5-9 September 2016, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• European Regional Office (EURO) – 12-15 September 2016, Copenhagen, Denmark
• Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) – 26-30 September 2016, Washington D.C., United States of America
• East Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) – 3-6 October 2016, Cairo, Egypt
• West Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) – 10-14 October 2016, Manila, Philippines

During the meetings World Heart Federation delegates will highlight the importance of robust policies and interventions to combat rheumatic heart disease, and make statements on related health topics, such as ending preventable maternal and child mortality, health systems strengthening and achieving universal health coverage.

You can stay up to date with our activity at this year’s WHO Regional Meetings via Twitter, on the RHD Action Website, and via our newsletter RHD Beat.