WHO South-East Asia Regional Office started operations in a small office in a Government of India building on 15 December 1948, the year WHO was established on 7 April. WHO SEARO too is 75!

The first Regional Committee Session of WHO South-East Asia Region was led by India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and WHO’s first Director-General Dr Brock Chisholm in New Delhi in October 1948.

Dr Chandra Mani was the first Regional Director for WHO South-East Asia Region and assumed office in 1948.

In a first for Asia, the World Health Assembly was held in New Delhi in 1961, inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. 105 countries participated.

To overcome the acute shortage of health workforce, in 1948 focused efforts were made to set up training institutions and expand medical and nursing colleges.

To combat tuberculosis, in 1949 mass BCG campaigns were rolled out along with DOTS strategy.

On 24 April 1963 WHO South-East Asia Regional Office got its own home – the World Health House in New Delhi inaugurated by Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Malaria, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, maternal and child health, nutrition, environmental health and sanitation were global priorities to which the Region added health education, fellowships, and lymphatic filariasis in 1948.

Several countries launched malaria control programmes between 1948-1957 that resulted in a sharp decline in malaria cases in WHO South-East Asia Region by 1966.

Adoption of oral rehydration therapy in 1960s in the Region dramatically changed treatment of cholera and diarrheal diseases, helping save millions of lives.

In 1978 WHO South-East Asia Region was certified smallpox free, a year before the disease was eradicated globally.

India was certified guinea-worm free in 2000.

All Member countries strengthened International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 core capacities and committed to health security.

On 27 February 2005 WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), the first international treaty to combat tobacco epidemic, negotiated under WHO auspices, comes into force. The Region initiates concerted steps for tobacco control.

Thailand introduced front-of-pack labels informing salt, fat and sugar content to support informed choices by consumers in 2006.

Following the Indian Ocean tsunami that hit multiple countries simultaneously, WHO created 12 benchmarks in 2005 for countries to strengthen and periodically assess emergency preparedness capacities.

In 2008 the Region set up its own emergency funding mechanism – the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) - to facilitate immediate and early response to disasters and emergencies, crucial to save lives.

In 2011 WHO South-East Asia Region became the first to adopt a ministerial declaration on antimicrobial resistance – the Jaipur Declaration. Since then, accelerated efforts are on with a ‘One-Health’ approach.

WHO South-East Asia Region eliminated leprosy as a public health problem by 2011, with countries reporting less than one case per 10 000 population.

WHO South-East Asia Region reverses the HIV epidemic between 1998-2007. HIV infections halved from 2001 to 2015.

Between 2000 to 2015, malaria cases decline by 50% and malaria deaths by 90%.

Beginning February 2014 the Region prioritized seven flagship priorities identified by Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh which are driving substantive and inclusive gains in health and well-being.

WHO South-East Asia became the first Region to prioritize elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases as a Flagship Priority.

WHO South-East Asia Region makes antimicrobial resistance a flagship priority in 2014.

In 2017 Ending TB was announced as the eighth Regional Flagship Priority. Today, there is highest ever political commitment and much needed non-medical social support initiatives are being rolled out.

On 27 March 2014 WHO South-East Asia Region was certified polio-free.

Maldives was certified malaria free in 2015.

Sri Lanka was certified malaria free in 2016.

Maldives eliminates Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem in 2016.

Sri Lanka eliminates Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem in 2016.

India certified yaws free in 2016.

Thailand becomes the first country in Asia Pacific to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 2016.

WHO South-East Asia Region eliminates maternal and neonatal tetanus in 2016.

Thailand eliminates Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem in 2017.

Nepal eliminates trachoma as a public health problem in 2018.

Myanmar eliminates trachoma as a public health problem in 2020.

In 2016 the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund’s (SEARHEF) mandate was expanded to include strengthening preparedness in addition to response to public health emergencies.

WHO South-East Asia Region leads in implementation of tobacco control initiatives with largest graphic health warnings, adoption of plain packaging and phasing out of tobacco cultivation.

By 2020 South-East Asia Region records fastest rate of decline in tobacco use globally. Smoking rates halved among men and down steeply by 82% among women, compared to year 2000.

By 2022 almost all countries in the South-East Asia Region achieved and surpassed WHO threshold of 22.8 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 10 000 population.

Maldives eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 2019.

Sri Lanka eliminates mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis in 2019.

In 2020 Maldives eliminates rubella.

Sri Lanka eliminates rubella in 2020.

Bhutan eliminates measles in 2017.

Maldives eliminates measles in 2017.

In 2018 DPR Korea is certified for eliminating measles.

Sri Lanka eliminates measles in 2019.

Maternal mortality deaths in WHO South-East Asia Region declined by 74.2%, the steepest decline among all WHO Regions during 2000-2020.

Under-5 mortality in the South-East Asia Region declined by 75% between 1990 and 2019.

Neonatal mortality in the South-East Asia Region declined by 66% between 1990 and 2019.

Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Thailand achieve hepatitis B control in 2019.

To reduce risk of ischemic heart disease, Bangladesh, India, and Thailand set limits on trans fatty acids in the national food supply. 1.4 billion people are currently protected from harmful trans fat.

Beginning 2017, India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand introduce tax on sugary drinks, and a ban on sale in schools.

In 2019 Sri Lanka introduced the traffic light colour coding for front-of-the-pack labelling of sugar, salt and trans fats in packaged food.