Singapore: The World Health Summit Regional Meeting - Asia (WHSRMA) 2013 came to a conclusion at Ritz-Carlton in Singapore on April 10, 2013. The three day event saw more than 900 delegates engage in intense and thought provoking dialogues. The participants included scientists, researchers, academics, members of civil society and industry. The participants said that the government needs to take a whole-of-society approach in formulating health policy.

Key opinion leaders gathered contributed to in-depth cross-sectorial discussions based on the summit's theme, 'Health for sustainable development in Asia'. The WHSRMA is one of the foremost international gatherings of its kind in healthcare, initiated by the M8 Alliance as a sustainable high level forum to continue the global dialogue on crucial healthcare issues now and into the future.

The event anchored on four major topics, including the impact of health on Asian economies; innovations in health in asia - a holistic, integrated and out-of-the box approach; financing healthcare; and emerging health threats in Asia.

ProfessorJohn Wong, president, World Health Summit and co-chair of the WHSRMA, said that, "We strongly support the World Health Assembly's call for a 25 percent reduction in relative mortality from non-communicable diseases by 2025, also known as the 25-by-25 goal. This will require resources, advocacy, the formation of effective partnerships, and political leadership. This Summit is a significant step forward in turning these strategies into effective actions."

Key stakeholders in healthcare will come together once again at the World Health Summit on 20-22 October 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The next regional meeting for the World Health Summit will be held in Brazil, South America in April 2014.