(WPRjRC18/SR/4 Rev.l)
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH MEETING National Cheng chi University Tuesday, 19 September 1967 at 9.00 a.m. CHAIRMAN:
Dr C .K. Chang
CONTENTS 1 2
Consideration of draft resolutions
.......... ., ............. .
184
Consideration of the report presented by the Sub-Committee on Programme and Budget ~~d
draft resolution
•• ~ ••••••
& •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
190 191 193 195
3 4
Consideration of the report preaented on the Technical Discussions ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
,
Time, place and duration of the nineteenth and twentieth sessions of the Regional Committee ••••••••••••••• Statement by the Representative of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists •••••••••••••••••••••• Resolution of appreciation •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
5 6
196
- 181 -
182
REGIONAL COMMrI'I'EE: EIGHTEENTH SESSION
FOURTH l.m:TING
Tuesday, 19 September 1967 at 9.00 a. m. PRESENT
I.
Representatives of Member States AUSTRALIA
Dr Dr MtDr
H. E. Dawes J. S. Boxall G.N. Bilney E. S. stuckey
CHINA
Dr C. K. Chang
Dr T.C. Hsu Dr K.P. Chen Dr L.P. Chow
Dr T.S. Chen Dr K. Y. Fang Dr J. Ohmura Mt- K. Watanabe
HALAYSIA
Tan Sir (Dr.) M:>bd. Din bin Ahmad Dr Chong Chun lIian Mt- Chin Su Bin Dr D. M. Cameron Dr C.N.D. Taylor
PHILIPPINES
Dr A.H. Cruz Dr A.N. Acosta Dr J.B. Pinheira Dr F. ltitias
PORI'UGAL
REPUBLIC CF KOREA SINGAPORE UNITED KINGDOM
Dr K¥ong Shik Chang Mt- Chang Soult Kim Dr COnnie Lim Kim Loan Mt-s S. Baharuddin Dr C. H. Gurd. Dr S. Tapa Dr R.K.C. Lee Dr J.E. Banta Dr J. K. Shafer
UNITED STATES CF AMERICA
. . SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH ~ING 18)
VIET-NAM
HESTERN SAKlA
Dr J.C. Thieme
II.
Representatives of the United Nations and §pecialized Agencies
UNITED NATIONS UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN I S FUND
Mr A. E. f.i:lager Mr A.E •. Maager
UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROORAMME III.
Mr J. Van Heerden
Representatives of other intergovernmental organizations SOUTH PACIFIC COMMISSION
Dr G. IDison
TV.
Representatives of non-governmental organizations INTERNATIONAL DENTAL FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF NURSES WORLD FEDERATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
Dr E.M. Sison
Miss Tao-Chen Yu
Mrs C.M. Abad
~
INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION
Professor Daphne Chun
Dr Soebagjo J?oerwodihardjo V.
vlHO Secretariat ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL
Dr J. Karefa-Smart Dr Francisco J. Dy Regional Director
-" _C>
SECRRrARY
184
.-;-.
1
CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT RESOLUTIONS ~
Committee considered the following draft resolutions presented
by Dr TAYLOR (New Zealand) and Dr THUAN (Viet-Ham), Rapporteurs. 1.1 Annual Report of the Regional Director 1.2 Organizational study on "Co-ordination at the national level in relation to the technical co-operation field programme of the Organization" Health and economic development
1.3
1.4 Twentieth Anniversary of the Uorld Health Organization Decision: The above draft resolutions were unanimously adopted (see resolutions WPRjRCl8.R3, WPR/RC18.R4, WPR/RCl8.R5 and WPR/RCl8.R6). 1.5
The establishment of a WHO medical school in the Western Pacific Region Dr DIN (Malaysia) suggested that the second operative paragraph of
. ''NarES the many difficulties
the draft resolution be amended to read:
facing the establishment of a WHO regional medical school". Further, in view of the document received from the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency of Japan, he asked that opera.tive paragra.ph 5 should be reworded as follows: "SUGGESTS that the Malaysian
Government develop an approach through inter-country co-operation II • The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that the proposal of the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency of Japan was not a final one. WHO had
merely been invited to give its comments and modifications might possibly result from these discussions. He had no objection to the second suggestion of the Representative of Malaysia but wondered i f the Regional Committee could ask a government
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH MEETING
185
to follow such an approach.
The Government could do so without this
action haYing to be included in the resolution. Dr TAYLOR (New Zealand) proposed that the paragraph be amended to
read:
"SUGGESTS that the proposal be developed through inter-country
co-operation n • Dr GURD (United Kingdom) said that this would make the paragraph rather nebulous and it was doubtful as to who should develop the proposal. It might be interpreted that the World Health Organization should do so. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that his interpretation of the proposed amendment of the Representative of New Zealand was that governments and WHO would endeavour to develop the proposal together. Dr LEE (United states of .America) suggested that the draft document
referred to earlier by the Regional Director should not be considered a part of the present draft resolution until governments had had a chance to study it. The Committee should go back to the original
amendment proposed by the Representative of Malaysia. Dr DIN (Malaysia) explained that the paper received from the Over-
seas Technical Cooperation Agency amendment.
~ras
not directly involved in his proposed
He had meant general inter-country co.-operation. The
Dr OHMURA (Japan) supported the original draft resolution.
draft proposal submitted by the Overseas Technical Cooperation Agency had not yet been fully discussed in the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
However, the plan was very challenging and his Government would study it further.
186
">---
Dr DIN (Malaysia) was not agreeable to the maintenance of the
original text of paragraph }, which was rather vague as to the intent of giving the MaJ..a.ysian Government time. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that when this item had been discussed, a number of problems had been raised, i.e., the recruitment of staff, the entrance requirements for students at the place where the scbool would be established and,most important of all, the financial implications. It
had been suggested that the subject should be discussed again at the next
meeting of the Regional Committee "hen additional information would have been provided by the Government of l-klaysia. Dr DIN (M3.laysia) stated that his delegation felt that the subject had already been studied by the Committee and was now in its hands.
He
wondered if WHO should not develol) it. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR pointed out that in paragraph
4, he was being -~
.
instructed to submit a report to the next session of the Regional Committee and also to place this item on the agenda. He wondered 1:1:',
having considered the entire resolution, the Representatives would agree to delete paragraph 3. Dr DIN (Malaysia) was agreeable to the suggestion in that context.
Dr GURD (United Kingdom) stated that the Director-General had out-
lined the many difficulities involved in setting up a WHO regional medical school and had pointed out that two of the main problems would be (a) the capital requirements to set up the school, and (b) to ensure the recurrent financial requirements for many years to come. The second
SUMMARY REQORl;) OF THE FOURrH MIml!ING
187
point had been thought to be more difficult because if the sebcol did not have an ensured continuity, it WOuld be extremely difficult to get staff of the right calibre to leave their jobs and enter into a contract for such a school. The objective behind paragraph 3 appeared to allow time for the
Malaysian Government to look into the financial aspect which would be its responsibility. At the same time in paragraph
4, WHO, through the Director
of the tiestern Pacific Regional Office, should look into the possibility
of its involvement.
He would propose that paragraph 3 be left as it was
or to,attach to the text the intention of giving details of the proposal. i'lithout the details of the proposal being available, the Regional Committee could not mal<:e a really objective decision. Dr THIEME (Western Samoa) supported the proposal of the United
Kingdom delegation and agreed that additional information was required from the Malaysian Government before the Committee could make a decision. Dr DIN (Malaysia) stated that his delegation felt that its Govern-
ment vias being assigned a very heavy task.
It might not be in a position
,to provide the information, particularly for a project involving intercountry participation. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR suggested that if the Malaysian delegation did not feel it could provide the details of the proposal, the subject paragraph should be deleted entirely. WHO would be most happy to help
-~
the Government in the development of the proposal through consultant services. Dr DIN (Malaysia) stated that if the Malaysian Government were to
sponsor the medical school, the details could be easily prepared, but
188
REGIONAL COMMl1'l'EE: EIGHTEENTH SESSION
the difficulty was that the sponsoring countries were unknown. fore suggested that paragraph 3 be deleted as proposed earlier. Dr
He there-
GURD (United Kingdom) thought that the whole proposal would be
meaningless unless someone took the responsibility of developing the scheme. As
had been pointed out, l'iHO could not take on the responsibility
of financing the project and it ,Tas his understanding that the Government of Malaysia was interested in the promotion of such a scheme. If
this
vere the case, it should be given time to deliver the details of the proposal, especially the financial aspect. to its deletion. Dr
He could not therefore agree
LEE (United states of America) proposed that in view of the
strong differences in opinion betlleen some of the !4ember delegations, a different approach might be made to the resolution. In this connexion
he Ifould like to make the follolVing suggestions: (1) accept paragraph 2 of the resolution as amended to include "WHO" before "regional medical school"; (2) accept the proposal of the Representative of Malaysia that paragraph 3 should be deleted; and (3) change paragraph 4.(1) as follolfs "to submit a report to the next session of the Regional Committee on education for the health profession in the Region and the type of assistance being provided by WHO It. The reason Ifas to change the Ifhole concept
of the proposal, calling the attention of the Regional Director to the need to look into the whole picture of training of the health profession and the type of assistance WHO vas providing in this particular area. Dr
Lee, referring to his proposed amendment, stressed the necessity
of having a complete inventory of Ifhat the Regional Office vas doing for the education of health professions in the Region.
,
. SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOORrH MEE'l'lNG
Dr DIN (Malaysia) asked i f he understood correctly that the Regional.
Off'ice would take care of' the proposal on education among others. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that a report would be prepared by the
Secretariat f'or presentation at the next session of' the Regional COmmittee. Dr OHMURA (Japan) supported the proposal of the Representative of' the United states of' America. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR pointed out that there was not enough inf'orma.-
tion to discuss f'ully the proposals presented by the Government of' Malaysia. He therefore wished to suggest the following amendment:
"3.
SUGGESTS that the Malaysian Government might ,Fish to
study the question f'urther in co-operation with Paragraph
\-mo.
It
4.(1)
should be maintained as originally indicated in the draft
resolution. Dr DIN (Malaysia) agreed to the Regional Director's proposal. Dr GURD (United Kingdom) said that the suggestion of' the Regional
Director adequately covered the point of' view of' his delegation. Decision: The draft resolution, as amended, was adopted ( see resolution wpE/Re18. R7) • (For further comment on this resolution, see the f'ifth meeting, section 1.)
1.6 Technical discussions Decision: The draft resolution was adopted (see resolution WPRlRC18.R8) •
190
REGIONAL COMMITl'EE: EIGHTEENl'H SESSION
2
CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT PRESENl'ED BY THE SUB-COMMITl'EE ON PROORAMME AND BUOOET: Item 8.2 of the Agenda (Document WPRjRC18/l0) AND DRAFl' RESOLUrION WPRjRc18;Wp/9
2.1 Report of the Sub-Committee on Programme and Budget
Dr ACOSTA (Philippines) requested, on behalf of the Philippine delegation, the inclusion in the Supplementary List of a six-month fellowship to enable a medical officer of the Department of Health to observe the operation and management of mental hospitals in the United States of America. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that he would be glad to include the request in the Supplementary List. the implementation of which would be subject to the availability of funds.
Dr GURD (TJnited Kingdom) referred to the second paragraph on page 11 of the report and suggested that the statement he had made during the meeting of the Sub-Committee and which had relevance to the first sentence of the paragraph should be included in the text of the report. He recalled
having mentioned that the WHO representatives were essential in the structure of such an organization as WHO; their absence would. make the structure incomplete. There being no further comments, the report of the Sub-Committee on Programme and Budget was adopted. 2.2 Draft resolution WPR/RC18/wPI9
Dr LEE (TJnited states of America) stated that his delegation would like to suggest an addition to the resolution to bring out an item which
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH MmrING
191
had been disoussed in the report of the SUb-Committee on Programme and
Budget as follows: "2. RECOONIZES that the overall inorease for all the Regions 9~."
suggested by the World Health Assembly would be about
He recalled that in the disoussion of the Sub-Comm1ttee. the DireotorGeneral had said that the increase for this region would be in setting that figure some other Regions might have less 10.5~.
and so 9~.
than~.
that the overall increase for the WHO budget as a whole would be about The new clause would become number two of the operative paragraph and the subsequent clauses would be renumbered accordingly. Decision: The draft resolution, as amended, was adopted (see resolution WPB/RCl8.R9).
3
CONSIDERATION OF THE REPORT PRESEN.I'ED ON THE TECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS: Item 17 of the Agenda (Dooument WPR;RC18/11) The CHAIRMAN invited Dr Chow to present the report of the technical.
discussions. report.
When approved. this would be an annex to the main committee
Dr CHCM (China), Chairman of the Technical Discussions, considered
that the participants in the technical discussions had made a significant contribution to the important issue of population dynamics and health, as well as to the integration of related activities into the general health services. He then drew attention to some of the major points emphasized:
(1) The participants had endorsed the view expressed by WHO and other public health organizations that maternal and child health and family
.' 192 REGIONAL COMMl'l'I'EE: EIGHTEENTH SESSION
planning activities should be considered as an integral part of the general health programme. Increasing attention should be given by goverruneIits to
this policy in accordance with their own circumstances and needs. (2) The administrative status of a family planning unit should be
such that it could enjoy considerable autonomy and be able to command all the resources required to attain its objectives. (3) It was desirable and advantageous to integrate functionally
maternal and child health and family planning activities because both programmes had a common goal: children. the health and welfare of mothers and
(4)
The training and education of medical allied professions, as
well as health education of the public, should be an integral part of the general medical or health education programmes. The basic concept about
the desirability and feasibility of planned parenthood should be introduced tactfully into primary school education to generate social support of family planning.
(5) WHO could play a leading role by emphasizing to Member countries the importance of integrating maternal and child health and family planning activities into the general health programme through the provision of consultant services and other technical assistance. The participants had been
gratified to note that WHO was now willing to provide this technical assistance as a part of the maternal and child health programme, when requested. In closing, llr' Chow expressed his appreciation to the Rapporteurs in the plenary seSSions, the Chairman and Rapporteurs in the discussion groups, and the Secretariat for the assistance they had given. .~
· '
SUMMARY RECCED OF THE FOURTH MEETING
193
The CHAIRMAN thanked Dr Chow for his and the Rapporteurs for their very fine all made valuable contributions to the
leadership~the
Group Chairmen
work~
and the participants who had
disc~sions,
4
TIME, PLACE AND DURATION OF THE NINETEENTH AND TWENTIEH SESSIONS
OF THE REGIONAL COMMI'ITEE:
Item 18 of the Agenda
Dr CRUZ (Philippines), in the name of the President of the Phi1ippines~
informed the Committee that hts Government wished to act as host during the nineteenth session of the Committee which. in accordance with the principle of rotation, would be held in Manila, Dr LIM (Singapore) noted with thanks the invitation of the Government
of the Philippines. which would be conveyed to her Government. >
The REGIONAL DIRECTOR said that the twentieth session of the Committee in 198) would also be held in Manila, unless an invitation was received to
hold it elsewhere. Dr LEE (United states of America) stated that the United States
delegation would like to express its appreciation to the Government of the Philipp1~s
for the invitation.
It was most propitious that the nineteenth
session should be held in .the Philippines as it coincided with the Twentieth AImiversary of the World Health Organization. As had been discussed
earlier. part of a day during the nineteenth session would be set aside to observe the anniversary of this excellent international organization. In
the Philippines. the Regional Office was most adequately housed due to the
-
~
194
REGIONAL C0MMl1'I'EE: EIGHl'EENl'H SESSION
kindness of the Government of the Philippines and the support of Member governments of the Region. The Regional Committee should take full
advantage of the invitation extended by the Government of the Philippines to work closely with the Secretary of Health and his Department in the in the observation of the Twentieth Anniversary_ Dr GURD (United Kingdom) stated that his delegation supported the
resolution and would like to be associated with the expression of appreciation to the Government of the Philippines for its great kindness and splendid hospitality repeatedly extended to the representatives attending the Regional Committee meetings for many years past. His dele-
gation further agreed with the delegation of the United states of America that it would be most appropriate to celebrate the Twentieth Anniversary at the Headquarters of the WHO Regional Office and among friends in the Philippines. The CHAIRMAN referred the Committee to draft resolution WPR/RC18/wp/lO which was read by the Rapporteur. Dr Taylor. The REGIONAL DIRECTOR stated that as the invitation of the Philippine Government had been accepted. he would like to suggest a modification of the draft resolution. inserting as paragraph 2 the following line: "2. ACCEPTS the kind. affer of the Govurnment of the Philippines" and
renur.bering the original paragraphs 2 and 3. Decision: The draft resolution. as amended. was adopted (see resolution WPR/Rc18.RIO).
SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH MEETING
195
5
9I'ATEMENl' BY THE REPRESENI'ATIVE OF THE WORLD FEDERATION OF
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPI9I'S (continued from the third meetingl section 5) Mrs ABAD said that occupational therapy. a paramedical discipline I
had within recent years gained unprecedented recognition.
The continuing
assessment of the aims. objectives and values of occupational therapy in the treatment and training of the mentally and physically handicapped and the use of new techniques and teaching procedures had emphasized the increasing needs for therapists in hospitals I clinics. rehabilitation centres and special schools all over the world. Mrs Abad then informed the Committee of some significant developments in occupational therapy in the Philippines. The School of Allied Medical
Professions. College of Medicine. University of the Philippines, which had been established in 1962 under the joint sponsorship of the Government and WHO. had graduated to date eleven occupational therapists; about twenty more were expected to graduate this coming school-year. The Occupational
Therapy Association of the Philippines had been admitted as an official member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists. During the last
session of Congress the so-called Occupational Therapy Bill. which aimed to define, establishl standardize and control the practice of occupational therapy. had been introduced. Various bodies interested in the rehabili-
tation of the disabled were working out a plan to establish a work-oriented rehabilitation facility for the handicapped. Plans were also under way to
form an association of occupational therapists in the Western Pacific Region. The assistance of WHO and Members of the Committee was sought in
connexion with the last proposal.
196
REGIONAL COMMITTEE: EIGHTEENTH SESSION
1
6
RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION Dr DOWNES (Australia) stated that this was his last Regional
Committee meeting, about twelve of which he had attended, and he felt specially privileged to move the adoption of a resolution of appreciation.
Dr LEE (United States of America) stated that the delegation of the United States of America was most pleased to associate itself with the resolution. As an old colleague and an old-timer to the Regional Committee,
the Chief Representative of Australia, Dr Downes, would be very much missed at these meetings. There were two amendments which he would like to propose
to the resolution and which he did not think the Representative of Australia would mind. They were: (1) add in paragraph 9 the Assistant DirectorThe WHO
General, and (2) add in paragraph 10 the WHO Representative.
Representative had contributed to the work of the Committee and he would like to take advantage of this opportunity to acknowledge it. The delegations of Japan, Mala;ysia, NQW
Zealand, the PbiJ.i]?l?ines,
the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Western Samoa seconded the proposed resolution. Speaking on behalf of the delegation from China, Dr HSU expressed his Government's appreciation of the honour of having served as host to the eighteenth session of the Committee. He also wished to convey his
Government's thanks to all the representatives who had attended the meeting and also to the Director-General, Dr Candau, and the Assistant Director-General, Dr Ka.refa.-Smart.
•
Sm.r.IARY RECORD OF THE FOURTH
MEEl'ma
197/198
Decision: The resolution, as amended, was adopted (see resolution WPR/RC18.Rll).
The meeting rose at 11.35 a.m.