• Hon. Fizal Cassim, Deputy Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine,
• Dr. Mrs. Sujatha Senaratne, my Private Secretary,
• Representatives from the SAARC Secretariat,
•  Mr. Janaka Sugathadasa, Secretary Ministry of Health,
• Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Director General of Health Services,
• Delegates from SAARC countries,
• Representatives from Foreign Ministry & Ministry of Provincial Council and Local Government,
• Additional Secretaries, DDHs, Directors and other participants from Ministry of Health
• Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with much pleasure I address those distinguished delegates from SAARC Member countries gathered here today for the first SAARC annual meeting on NCDs. It was when we had the SAARC Health Ministers meeting November last year in Colombo we decided to have an annual meeting of the present nature, with Sri Lanka agreeing to host the first meeting.