Nepal to Host Third SAARC Conference on Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS

Kathmandu. Experts from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member states will participate in the third conference on Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS to be held in Nepal. The SAARC TB and HIV/AIDS Centre is preparing to host this significant conference in Nepal this year.

The formal announcement regarding the conference was made by the Centre's Director, Dr. Anuj Bhattachan, during an event organized in Bhaktapur on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day.

This conference is being organized with the objective of addressing the common challenges faced by South Asian nations in the field of TB and HIV/AIDS control.

The first and second editions of the conference were successfully concluded in Nepal previously. This year's conference will involve sharing experiences among various member nations, discussing the use of new technologies, and formulating action plans to jointly resolve common problems.

According to Director Dr. Bhattachan, this conference will bring together experts, health workers, and stakeholders working in this region on a single platform. He stated that the Secretary of the Ministry of Health and officials from the National Tuberculosis Centre have already been informed, and the active cooperation of experts is essential to make the conference successful.

Specifically, how to mitigate the complexities seen in cross-border infection and treatment appears to be the main agenda of the conference. The Centre expressed concern over the rising number of TB patients in Nepal and concluded that the active involvement of governments at all three levels is indispensable for its effective control.

Dr. Bhattachan stated that local governments must focus on identifying and treating patients by reaching out to every locality. This SAARC-level conference is expected to further assist Nepal's TB control campaign in receiving international-level support and coordination.