PART VI STATEMENTS BY REPRESENTATIVES OF NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS
W 0 R L DH E A L T H ORGANIZATION
ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTE
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC BUREAU REGIONAL DU PACIFIQUE OCCIDENTAL
REGIONAL COMMITTEE Forty-sixth session Manila 11-15 September 1995
WPRlRC46INGO/I
15 September 1995 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
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STATEMENT BY PROFESSOR SOFRONIO P. SAN JUAN, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL DENTAL FEDERATION
Director-General Dr Nakajima, WPRO Regional Director Dr S.T. Han, Mr Chairman of the 46th session of the Committee for the WPR, Distinguished Representatives of WPR Member States, Fellow Representatives of NGOs, Friends of WHO, Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen: It is an honour indeed, and a distinct privilege, to be given this opportunity to represent
the International Dental Federation (IDF), a nongovernmental world organization of national member dental associations, as well as individual dentists founded in Paris, France 95 years ago. At present, it comprises more than 81 Member Associations representing more than half a million dentists in 75 countries.
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The IDF has a regional organization in the Western Pacific, the Asian-Pacific Dental Federation (APDF-WPR). This is to promote closer cooperation between geographically adjacent member associations. It has a very close relationship with WHOIWPRO and is an active
participant in programmes and projects relative to oral health in the Region. Such cooperative and collaborative endeavours were particularly manifested in the 1994 observance of the "Year of Oral Health" and "Oral Health Day" when WHO and IDF jointly undertook relevant and meaningful activities for the occasion worldwide. WHO and IDF has a long history of healthy and productive partnership, both international and regional. It is unfortunate, however, that the permanent position of "Oral Health Adviser" upon his retirement was frozen, and left vacant up to this time. In its stead, a short-term consultant on a need basis was employed. WPR has 29 Member States with a total population of 1 584 494 and represents 28.44% of the global human resource. Moreover, the dire needs and great demand for health in general, and oral health in particular, is of great concern in the area.
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The need for improvements in scientific knowledge and technology in oral health, as well as the gradual focus from disease and curative, to preventive/community and environment oriented approaches in health human resource development, services, and research, require a more decentralized attention on the basis of conditions obtaining in the respective Member States of the Region. With WHO's objective of attainment by all peoples of the best level of health - not to discriminate, of course, against oral health, and the current thrust relative to the New Horizons in Health concept, it is hoped that WHO will consider restoring this permanent position in the
Western Pacific Region as soon as possible. The International Dental Federation supports two main constitutional functions of the World Health Organization, to wit: (I) (2) to act as the directing and coordinating authority on international health work, and to encourage technical cooperation for health with Member States.
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A characteristic feature of WHO is its decentralization through its Regional Committee and Regional Office. May not regional oral health as part of international health work, be deserving of a "place in the sun" - a full-time "Oral Health Adviser"? The dental profession, and the segment of human resource in the Region, appeal to WHO thru the Regional Director for support. subject. Thank you. He may wish to consider the above appeal in making his recommendations on the
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