WORLD
HEALTH
ORGANIZAT1ON
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU Ri!GIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL REGIONAL COMMITTEE Forty-fifth session Kuala Lumpur 19-23 September 1994 WPRlRC45/D1V 12 22 September 1994 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
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ORGANISATION MONDIALE
DE LA sANTE
WHO RESPONSE TO GLOBAL CHANGE: REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITI'EE OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE ON PROGRAMMES AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION, PART IV (Introduction by Dr L. Milan, Sub-Committee member)
Mr Chairman, In response to the mandate of the forty-fourth session of the Regional Committee. I am pleased to introduce to this session the Sub-Conunittee report on WHO Response to Global Change. As noted in the report itself. although there were three other topics for the Sub-Conunittee to review. this item occupied the greatest amount of the Sub-Conunittee's time. For ease of reference during our discussion. may I draw your attention to Annex 1 of the report which swmnarizes the preliminary views of the Regional Committee (as expressed at its forty-fourth session). the responses of the Sub-Committee to the Executive Board action points. and notes action being taken by the governing bodies and the WHO Secretariat. I would also ask you to take note of Annex 2 which describes the mechanisms which have been set up within WHO to review and implement recommendations on the WHO Response to Global Change. Included among the Sub-Conunittee's responses to the Executive Board action points are the following recommendations for consideration of the Regional Committee: 1. That regional/subregional workshops or other forums be utilized to develop consensus for
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changes in the health-for-all strategy. 2. That Executive Board members representing countries from the Western Pacific Region also
attend the sessions of the Regional Committee. 3. That the current procedures for selecting the Director-General and the regional directors are But. in view of rapidly changing health needs throughout the world,
presently appropriate.
dialogue among Member States on this issue should continue.
WPRIRC4SIDIV/2 page 2
4.
That while the current method of work of the Regional Committee can be generally
endorsed, the need for ongoing review and evaluation in the light of changing circwnstances and health needs should be emphasized. Other important issues 1 considered by the Sub-Committee included: 1. That personnel in administration and management positions should be included in the scope
of WHO's review of the effectiveness of current procedures and criteria for the development of appropriate staffmg patterns and the selection and recruitment of staff (Executive Board action 21). 2. That WHO should defme and promote a relevant role for itself in the changing United .-
Nations system, and a unified approach should be taken among United Nations agencies to programme development and implementation (Executive Board action 32). 3. That projects undertaken to date on integrating health and environment considerations in
sustainable development planning, and on urban health development, should be widely promoted elsewhere (Executive Board action 33). 4. That, with respect to the use of modem communication techniques and methods, WHO
needs to be more creative and strategic in its approaches, and more involved in and aware of what is going on across the full spectrum of health-related programmes and organizations (Executive Board action 45). 5. That responding to the recommendations of the Executive Board Working Group on WHO
Response to Global Change is a collective responsibility of the Member States, and that the Regional Committee should take more initiative in improving the effectiveness of WHO's work (Executive Board action 47). Another principal recommendation of the Sub-Committee was that although the mechanisms which have been set up within WHO to review and implement the recommendations of the Executive Board Working Group on WHO Response to Global Change, as well as others that have been established for some time, are sufficient in structure to support the reform process, careful attention must be paid by all parties concerned to fully utilizing and increasing the effectiveness of these mechanisms. Particularly, members of the governing bodies should participate vigorously and with greater involvement and continuity in directing the work of WHO to the ends they desire.
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It was emphasized that representatives to all such bodies should be technically qualified; well briefed and aware of the current issues; and prepared to participate fully in the work of the
1These issues are contained in Annex 1 of documem WPRlRC45/11.
WPRlRC45IDIV/2 page 3
sessions.
This would require, among other things, more meaningful and in-depth interaction and, the effective use of available forums to
between the Secretariat and the representatives;
develop consensus and ensure coordination of efforts. Finally, Mr Chairman, the Sub-Committee feels that the Report of the Executive Board Working Group on WHO Response to Global Change has served to initiate a process of change and evaluation that should be ongoing within WHO in general and this Regional Committee in
particular. The mechanisms for change are apparent. The onus for making them work properly is on us, the Representatives of the Member States, working in collaboration with the Secretariat. Thank you.
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