Agenda item 5.1 SEA/ACM/Meet.1/5.11 09 June 2008 Follow-up on Selected Resolutions/ Decisions of the Last Three Years: South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund The South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) has been established to provide immediate financial assistance to Member countries for meeting their health requirements following an emergency. As a first step, a contribution of US$ 100 000 was received for the Fund from the Royal Thai Government in October 2007. Additionally, US$ 1 000 000 (one million US dollars) were approved and allocated in January 2008 under the Regular Budget for the 2008-2009biennium. Efforts are on to mobilize resources through voluntary contributions from partner agencies to enhance the corpus of the Fund. For oversight and governance of SEARHEF, a Working Group represented by each of the Member countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region has been established, the first meeting is of the group scheduled to be held on 5 July 2008. With SEARHEF in operation, WHO successfully met the immediate financial needs of populations affected by the Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (May 2008) and floods in Sri Lanka (June 2008). The views and recommendations of the Meeting of the Advisory Committee (ACM) on this agenda item will be submitted to the Sixty-first Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration. Meeting of the Advisory Committee (ACM) to review technical matters to be discussed at the Sixty-first Session of the Regional Committee WHO/SEARO, New Delhi, 30 June – 3 July 2008
SEA/ACM/Meet.1/5.1 Page 1 South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund 1. The Sixtieth session of the Regional Committee held in Thimphu, Bhutan, from 31 August to 3 September 2007 passed Resolution SEA/RC60/R7 for establishment of the South- East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) to provide immediate financial assistance to Member countries for meeting their health emergency requirements following an emergency. 2. The following steps were taken in line with the policies and guidelines outlined for the establishment and governance of the SEARHEF: 1) US$ 1 000 000 (one million US dollars) were allocated in January 2008 under the Regular Budget for the 2008-2009 biennium. 2) Nominations from all 11 Member countries of the Swere obtained for constituting a Working Group to monitor and review the management of the fund on behalf. The first meeting of this Working Group is planned to be held tentatively on 5 July 2008 jointly with the Meeting of the Sub-committee on Policy and Programme Development and Management (SPPDM). Utilization of funds under the SEARHEF 3. Five months after the establishment of the SEARHEF, cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 2-3 May 2008 causing catastrophic devastation and loss of life and property. The WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia was able to release the first instalment of US$ 175 000 to Myanmar Country Office (on 8 May 2008) within 24 hours of receiving the formal request. Furthermore, the second instalment of US$ 175 000 was released on 13 May 2008. The funds were used for procurement (locally and from outside) of water purifying tablets, body bags, cholera test kits, water test-kits, long-lasting insecticide nets, dengue test- kits, deltamethrin tablets and other essential consumables. The supplies reached the severely affected areas of Laputta, Pathein and Bogale in the Ayeryarwady delta and the affected areas in Yangon Division. Mobilization of Voluntary Contributions for the fund 4. the sum of US$ 100 000 donated by the Royal Thai Government in October 2007 was carried forward to the current biennium, i.e. 2008-2009. Efforts are on to mobilize Voluntary Contributions from donors. 5. A printed brochure on SEARHEF was displayed and circulated to delegates and partner agencies during international meetings organized by WHO. SEA/ACM/Meet.1/5.1 Page 2 SEA/RC60/R7: SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY FUND The Regional Committee, Recalling World Health Assembly resolutions WHA58.1 and WHA59.22, and its own resolutions SEA/RC57/3 and SEA/RC58/3, all of which called for improved investments of resources, systems and expertise for emergency preparedness and response, Further recalling the recommendations made at the Regional Consultation for Emergency Preparedness and Response (June 2006), at which the Bali Declaration called for setting up a Regional Emergency Fund, and the Twenty-fourth Health Ministers’ Meeting, at which it was recommended that the Regional Office take steps to set up a Regional Emergency Fund, Confirming that emergencies are a priority in the Region, with 58% of the total number of people killed in natural disasters during the decade 1996–2005 from countries of the South- East Asia Region; that the Organization has prioritized emergency preparedness and response, and that a dedicated Strategic Objective has been developed and Health Action in Crises has become a full-fledged cluster in WHO headquarters, Noting that steps have been taken to create the Fund with a Working Group based in the Regional Office and a series of consultations conducted with WHO Representatives and representatives of Member countries, Acknowledging the establishment of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF) as contained in the “Thimphu Declaration International Health Security in the South-East Asia Region”, Appreciating the contribution of US$100 000 of the Royal Thai Government to the Fund, and Having considered the recommendations made by the Joint Meeting of Health Secretaries of countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region and the Consultative Committee for Programme Development and Management, held during 2-6 July 2007, 1. URGES Member States: (a) to contribute 1% of their WHO Regular budget allocation to the SEARHEF; (b) to support proper use and management of the Fund to address immediate needs in any emergency, and (c) to actively participate in the management and utilization of SEARHEF through its Working Group, and 2. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (a) to lead in the efficient implementation of the Fund so that financial support is provided for immediate needs in countries affected by events; (b) to support further resource mobilization for the Fund; (c) to have a transparent mechanism for the distribution of the Fund; (d) to facilitate linking the SEARHEF with planning and activities for Strategic Objective 5, and (e) to report annually to Member States at the Regional Committee on the status of the Fund usage.