WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE
WPRlRC49INGO/4
Forty-ninth session Manila 14-18 September 1998 Provisional agenda item 19
18 September 1998 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
STATEMENT BY DR J. ESTEBAN REPRESENTATIVE, NETWORK OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS FOR HEALTH SCIENCES The Network of Community Oriented Educational Institutions in Health Sciences congratulates the World Health Organization (WHO) for ajob Ilell done. We are aware of the fact that about a third of the world' s population, the sector that is carrying 90% of the world' s disease burden lives in the Western Pacific Region. Unfortunately. tillS is further aggral·atcd by poor health delivery systems in many countries in this part of world. The task of \\-1-10 is formidable yet challenging and even an exciting one. We, at the network, are very al\are and appreciative of the accomplishment of WHO particularly its regIOnal arm through its programmes. directed towards filariasis, malaria and poliomyelitis. We, at the network. look forward to more and more areas where we can work in a complimentary manner with WHO in addressing health Issues. The member institutions can contribute in terms of advocacy with regard to alcohol use, tobacco smoking, substance abuse and environmental health. We can further emphasize the prevention. control or even elimination of some communicable diseases. The encroachment of cardiovascular diseases into the list of major health problems has not gone unnoticed. We shall, in the network, address this as well as other related diseases. We shall encourage our member institutions to expose their students as early as possible to local public health issues so that these future health workers shall be conscious of these problems. The list of areas where our member institutions can work in a complementary manner with the WHO certainly can be very long. Other exciting areas which can be explored are medical informatics and clinical epidemiology. Examples of these programmes are those
WPRfRC49/NGO/4 page 2
Firstly. to allow even rural health workers access to monitoring as well as information on various health concerns. Secondly. for advocacy in cyidcncc-bascd policy forn1Ulation. health research and patient management. Perhaps even values education is an area \\here educational institutions can help. Lastly. the network of community oriented educational institutions in health sciences would like to thank Dr S T. Han for sharing many years of his professional life with us in the field of public health and with WHO. He certainly leaves a legacy of wisdom. dedication and genuine love for his speciality. We would also like to congratulate Dr S. Omi. the incoming Regional Director. We strongly believe in his capabilities to hold high the standards that have become a tradition in WHO. ..",