Australia to host malaria summit

Federal Health Minister Peter Dutton will attend a high-level meeting of Asia Pacific health officials to discuss ways of tackling malaria.

Mr Dutton will be accompanied by Department of Health secretary Jane Halton and her Indian counterpart Lov Verma at the Sydney gathering on Wednesday and Thursday.

Officials and members of the World Health Organisation's anti-malaria taskforce will develop recommendations for regional leaders to tackle drug resistance and seek better access to good quality drugs for regional drug regulators.

They will also formulate ways to reduce malaria cases and deaths in the region by 75 per cent from 2000 levels over the next year.

Mr Dutton said on Monday the co-chairing of the meeting by Ms Halton and Mr Verma marked a new level of bilateral co-operation between Australia and India on health issues.