WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Fifty-seventh session Auckland, New Zealand 18–22 September 2006 Provisional agenda item 17
WPR/RC57/12 21 July 2006 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COORDINATION OF THE WORK OF THE WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD AND THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE
Three resolutions adopted by the Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly are presented with an explanation of their implications for the work of WHO in the Western Pacific Region. Members of the Regional Committee are requested to express their views on the relevance of these resolutions to WHO’s programme of cooperation with countries and areas in the Region. A complete list of resolutions adopted by the World Health Assembly is attached as Annex 1. The World Health Assembly resolution, which directly relates to an item on the provisional agenda of the current session of the Regional Committee, is mentioned in and annexed to the document covering that individual agenda item. The draft provisional agenda of the 120th session of the Executive Board is attached as Annex 2.
WPR/RC57/12 page 2 WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS OF INTEREST TO THE REGION
The Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly adopted 27 resolutions which are listed at the end of this paper (Annex 1). The attention of the Regional Committee is drawn to three in particular: resolution WHA59.21 on infant and young child nutrition; resolution WHA59.24 on public health, innovation, essential health research and intellectual property rights towards a global strategy and plan of action; and resolution WHA59.25 on prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment. These are discussed below. The agenda of the 120th session of the Executive Board is attached as Annex 2. This draft provisional agenda has been sent to Member States by the acting Director-General in a note verbale dated 28 June 2006. Following the receipt of comments on the proposed agenda from Member States, the acting Director-General will further consult with the Chairman of the Executive Board. This draft agenda is submitted to the Regional Committee for its information. WHA59.21 - Infant and young child nutrition Resolution WHA59.21 on infant and young child nutrition is important for the Western Pacific Region because it recognizes the key role of infant and young child feeding, as well as the need to renew the commitment of Member States to implement the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions. Resolution WHA59.21 also recognizes the need to revitalize the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative. The Regional Committee is requested to ensure that these important WHO and UNICEF initiatives on child survival are fully implemented. The report on infant and young child nutrition presented to the Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly concluded that the goal of reducing the number of underweight children by 50% from the 1990 level will not be met by the 2015 target. This target would be easier to achieve, as would reductions in child mortality, if appropriate infant and young child feeding practices are put in place through the implementation of the programmes mentioned above. Inadequate breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices are considered responsible for 19% of child mortality. Countries and areas are asked to review and, when necessary, reform national legislation to implement the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes, as has been done recently in Mongolia and the Philippines. Annex 3 summarizes the findings of a survey on the status of the implementation of the Code in 10 countries and areas in the Region.
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WHA59.24 - Public health, innovation, essential health research and intellectual property rights: towards a global strategy and plan of action Background The WHO Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health concluded in its April 2006 report that intellectual property rights provide important incentives for the development of new medicines and medical technologies. However, intellectual property rights do not provide an effective incentive when patient populations are small or poor, according to the report. The Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA59.24 that urged Member States to prioritize research and development actions to address the needs of patients, especially those in resource-poor settings. The resolution also urged Member States to harness collaborative research and development initiatives involving disease-endemic countries. In addition, it established an intergovernmental working group to develop a global strategy and plan of action to follow up the recommendations of the Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health, with a focus on research and development for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. Relevance to the Region There has been an increased awareness of the fundamental importance of research to the achievement of health development goals of the Western Pacific Region and the need to invest more in health research. The intergovernmental working group has been requested to secure an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs-driven, essential health research and development to address diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries, such as tuberculosis and malaria. There is a high burden of many of these diseases in some countries and areas of the Western Pacific Region. For example, the Region bears about one quarter of the global burden of tuberculosis. Apart from regional representation on the intergovernmental working group, there will also be a need for the working group to consult with regional experts and representatives from governmental and nongovernmental organizations. Input will be required from the Region in identifying the gaps in the innovation process for drug discovery and development for diseases affecting developing countries, as well as the required policy interventions to address these gaps.
WPR/RC57/12 page 4 The intergovernmental working group has also been requested to estimate funding requirements for research to address the needs of patients, and resource mobilization and coordination will be required in collaboration with Member States in the Region to address those needs. Intergovernmental Working Group and actions by the Regional Committee Given the time frame set for the first progress report of the intergovernmental working group, its first meeting will likely take place 4–9 December 2006 and focus initially on procedural issues related to the establishment and functioning of the intergovernmental working group. The group also is expected to focus on developing a global strategy and plan of action for securing an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs-driven, essential health research and development relevant to diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. Within the strategy and plan of action, clear objectives and priorities for research and development should be proposed, together with an estimate of funding needs in this area. It is therefore anticipated that the priority of the intergovernmental working group's first meeting will be the development of the main elements of the global strategy and plan of action, based on the recommendations of the WHO Commission on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health report, as well as recommendations arising from expert meetings and technical consultations. Membership in the intergovernmental working group is open to all Member States. It is important that the Western Pacific Region be adequately represented in the intergovernmental working group and that developing countries from the Region participate, including those countries that have limited research capacity. WHA59.25 – Prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment "VISION 2020: the Right to Sight" was launched in 1999 as a partnership between WHO and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020 and to halt and reverse the projected doubling of avoidable visual impairment globally between 1990 and 2020. The VISION 2020 Monitoring Committee held its first meeting in January 2006. The committee reviewed the achievements, opportunities and limitations in implementation of VISION 2020. By December 2005, only 44% of low- and middle-income Member States had developed their national prevention of blindness or VISION 2020 plans.
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As a result of the review, resolution WHA59.25 was adopted. It does not require the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific to take specific action, but urges Member States to implement national plans for the elimination of preventable blindness using domestic funding to procure established and affordable technologies. Annex 4 shows that national workshops have been held in most countries but almost half of them (10 of 23) do not have a national VISION 2020 plan. The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has supported these plans in various ways. Interregional workshops have been held in cosponsorship with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Prevention of Blindness at Juntendo University, Japan. An ongoing project to prevent childhood blindness is under way in Cambodia, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Viet Nam. The proposed WHO Medium-term Strategic Plan 2008–2013 includes blindness prevention as an important component of Strategic Objective No. 3.
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WPR/RC57/12 page 7 ANNEX 1 RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE FIFTY-NINTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
Resolution number WHA59.1 WHA59.2 *
Title of resolution Eradication of poliomyelitis Application of the International Health Regulations (2005) Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan Eleventh General Programme of Work, 2006–2015 Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution and special arrangements for settlement of arrears Arrears in payment of contributions: Afghanistan Arrears in payment of contributions: Armenia Arrears in payment of contributions: Central African Republic Arrears in payment of contributions: Dominican Republic Arrears in payment of contributions: Turkmenistan Nutrition and HIV/AIDS Implementation by WHO of the recommendations of the Global Task Team on Improving AIDS Coordination among Multilateral Institutions and International Donors Financial report on the accounts of WHO for 2004–2005 Salaries of staff in ungraded posts and of the Director-General Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organizations including United Nations reform process Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management Codex Alimentarius Commission: amendments to Statutes Outcome of the first session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly- Rule 14: dispatch of documents Prevention and control of sexually transmitted infections: draft global strategy Sickle-cell anaemia Infant and young child nutrition 2006
WHA59.3 WHA59.4 WHA59.5
WHA59.6 WHA59.7 WHA59.8 WHA59.9 WHA59.10 WHA59.11 WHA59.12
WHA59.13 WHA59.14 WHA59.15
WHA59.16 WHA59.17 WHA59.18 WHA59.19 WHA59.20 WHA59.21
*
Annexed to the document covering the agenda item on this topic.
WPR/RC57/12 page 8 Annex 1 Resolution number WHA59.22 WHA59.23 WHA59.24 WHA59.25 WHA59.26 WHA59.27 Title of resolution Emergency preparedness and response Rapid scaling up of health workforce production Public health, innovation, essential health research and intellectual property rights: towards a global strategy and plan of action Prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment International trade and health Strengthening nursing and midwifery
WPR/RC57/12 page 79 ANNEX 2
EXECUTIVE BOARD 120th Session Geneva, 22-30 January 2007
EB120/1 (draft) 28 June 2006
Draft provisional agenda 1. 2. 3. 4. Opening of the session and adoption of the agenda Report by the Director-General Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board Technical and health matters 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 Poliomyelitis: mechanism for management of potential risks to eradication Malaria, including proposal for establishment of World Malaria Day Nipah virus infection Gender, women and health: draft strategy Rational use of medicines: progress in implementing the WHO medicines strategy Commission on Social Determinants of Health: progress report eHealth: standardized terminology Oral health: action plan for promotion and integrated disease prevention Draft resolutions deferred from Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly and the 118th session of the Executive Board • Smallpox eradication: destruction of variola virus stocks • Health promotion in a globalized world • Essential health technologies
WPR/RC57/12 page 80 Annex 2 • WHO’s role and responsibilities in health research 5. Programme and budget matters 5.1 5.2 5.3 Programme budget 2004-2005: performance assessment Implementation of Programme budget 2006-2007: interim report Medium-term strategic plan, including proposed programme budget 2008-2009 • Medium-term strategic plan, 2008-2013 • Proposed programme budget 2008-2009 5.4 6. Real estate: draft capital master plan
Financial matters 6.1 Status of collection, including Members in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution Scale of assessments 2008-2009 Amendments to the Financial Regulations and Financial Rules [if any]
6.2 6.3 7.
Management matters 7.1 7.2 7.3 Appointment of the Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean WHO and United Nations reform Director-General and Deputy Director-General of the World Health Organization: review of matters arising from the special and 118th sessions of the Executive Board Reports of committees of the Executive Board • Standing Committee on Nongovernmental Organizations • Foundations and awards 7.5 Reports of the Joint Inspection Unit • Previous reports: implementation of recommendations • Recent reports 7.6 Provisional agenda of the Sixtieth World Health Assembly and date and place of the 121st session of the Executive Board
7.4
WPR/RC57/12 page 81 Annex 2
8.
Staffing matters 8.1 8.2 Human resources: annual report Report of the International Civil Service Commission • Confirmation of approval by the United Nations General Assembly of the Commission's general framework • Implementation and cost of amendments to the Staff Rules 8.3 8.4 Confirmation of amendments to the Staff Rules [if any] Statement by the representative of the WHO staff associations
9.
Matters for information 9.1 9.2 Reports of expert committees and study groups Progress reports A. Strengthening active and healthy ageing (resolution WHA58.16) B. Application of the International Health Regulations (2005) (resolution WHA59.2) C. Public-health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol (resolution WHA58.26) D. Emergency preparedness and response (resolution WHA59.22) E. Implementation by WHO of the recommendations of the Global Task Team on Improving AIDS Coordination among Multilateral Institutions and International Donors F. Public health, innovation, essential research and intellectual property rights: towards a global strategy and plan of action G. World report on violence and health: recommendations H. Health Metrics Network: progress report I. Measures to further improve efficiency, transparency and accountability within the Organization (resolution WHA58.4) progress report on implementation of
10.
Closure of the session
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International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes Status of Implementation in WHO Member States Question Brunei Darussalam Section 1. Legislation and regulations The government enacted laws or regulations on the Code - scope - prohibition to advertise to general public - prohibition of sales devises to general public - prohibition of provision of free or low-cost supplies to health workers/facilities - prohibition of provision of gifts or materials to health workers/facilities - requirement of labelling specifying age of introduction - requirement of labelling that clearly states superiority of breastfeeding - mechanisms for effective monitoring and enforcement - mechanisms are independent and transparent - mechanisms are free from commercial influence - mechanisms are empowered to investigate violations - mechanisms are empowered to impose sanctions - other measures to support code implementation Section 2. Voluntary and other measures - the government has voluntary or other measures for effective implementation of the code - codes ( c ), policies (p), guidelines (g), agreements (a), others (o) - voluntary measures cover scope of the code - voluntary measures cover promotion to the general public - voluntary measures cover promotion to health workers/facilities - voluntary measures cover labelling - voluntary measures cover implementation and monitoring No Cambodia China Philippines Country or Area Republic of Korea Yes Other Yes Yes Yes No No No No Malaysia Singapore Samoa Mongolia Tokelau
Yes 0-24 mos. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Yes 0-12 mos. Yes Yes Yes +/Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes cpg Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes Other Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes cpga Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes 0-36 mos. No No No +/Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
No
No
Yes 0-24 mos. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
No
Yes Yes No No No
No No
No No
Yes Yes pgo Yes Yes Yes Yes c Yes cpg Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes po Yes Yes Yes cpg Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yes
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ANNEX 3
WPR/RC57/12 page 84
WPR/RC57/12 page 85 ANNEX 4
VISION 2020 Implementation monitoring in selected countries in the Western Pacific Region Name Targeted country* Yes Western Pacific Australia Brunei Darussalam Cambodia China Cook Islands Fiji Japan Kiribati Lao Peoples Democratic Republic Malaysia Mongolia Nauru New Zealand Papua New Guinea Philippines Republic of Korea Samoa Singapore Solomon Islands Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Viet Nam Totals for Western Pacific Percentage 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 23 National Committee Yes No 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18 78% 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 22 96% Workshop Yes 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 No National plan Yes 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13 57% No
* Developing countries in the Western Pacific Region reporting on key VISION 2020 indicators and developed countries volunteering this information.