High-level focal points from Ministries of Health of Central Asian countries met in Dushanbe on June 27 to discuss how subregional collaboration and prioritized activities and investments can accelerate delivery on global, regional and national commitments for health and well-being, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Office in Tajikistan.

Organized by the WHO, the meeting reportedly paved the way for the five countries to take joint action and foster cooperation with partners to fill the gaps in health and well-being in Central Asia.

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The Roadmap for health and well-being in Central Asia (2022 – 2025) was endorsed by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan on September 11, 2022. The Roadmap is a cornerstone for health and well-being that will help Central Asian countries to cooperatively respond to the intersecting crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. The Roadmap includes political, investment and technical objectives which will accelerate the Central Asian countries’ delivery on global, regional and national commitments for health and well-being.

The five countries have agreed to prioritize efforts and investments on four accelerators to trigger positive multiplier effects: keep health high atop the political agendas of Central Asian countries and partners; build a strategic alliance for health and well-being in Central Asia; synergistically mobilize resources and support for joint projects; and promote policy and action coherence for achievement of the sustainable development goals

Representatives from the Central Asian health ministries and the WHO officially kicked-off the first year of implementing the Roadmap in Central Asia in Dushanbe.  They reportedly spoke about how subregional collaboration and coordination will further accelerate the implementation of the Roadmap, and identified joint political, technical and investment activities to advance the health agenda in Central Asia.