'\TORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REGIONAL COMMITI'EE Eighth Session Hong Kong 5-11 September 1957 Agenda Item 14.2
REGIONAL OFFICE FDR THE WESTERN PACIFIC WP/RC8/9 12 July 1957 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
ORGANIZATIONAL STUDY ON REGIONALIZATION As requested by the Ninth World Health Assemblyl the Regional Committee at its seventh session considered the subject of regionalization. A copy of the Committee's report 2 was transmitted to the Director-General for submission to the Executive Board. The Executive Board at its nineteenth session considered the progress report presented by the Director-General and recommended to the Tenth World Health Assembly that the study be deferred until the whole matter could be reconsidered by the Executive Board after the Eleventh World Health Assembly in the light of the ten l€ars' report to be prepared as part of the tenth anniversary celebration.) The following resolution adopted by the Tenth World Health Assembly4 is submitted for consideration of the Committee: liThe Tenth World Health Assembly, Having considered resolution EB19.R59 of the Executive Board at its nineteenth session together with the report of the Director-General on the Organizational Study on Regionalization including the comments and observations of Regional Committees; Concurring with the reasons given by the Executive Board at its nineteenth session, and Having regard to the existence of differentiated areas within a single region in certain parts of the world, 1. DECIDES that the Study on Regionalization, as requested by the Ninth World Health Assembly,l be deferred until the whole matter can be reconsidered by the Executive Board after the Eleventh World Health Assembly in the light of the Ten Years Report to be prepared as part of the Tenth Anniversary Celebration; 2. DECIDES that, if it is found necessary, each regional committee may meanwhile study for itself the delineation of areas having uniform geographical, sanitary or social characteristics within a single region, with a view to better utilization of the available resources; and
3. DECIDES that any such study shall be communicated to the Executive Board as a contribution to the organizational study concerned. /It will be lResolution WHA9.30, Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org. 71, 29 2Unpublished document wp/RC7/25 Rev.l Annex I-~esolution EB19.R59, Off. Rec. Wld Hlth Org. 76, 22 ~esolution WHA10.35
wp/RC8/9 Page 2 It will be noted that the Health Assembly decided that the Study on Regionalization should be deferred until the whole matter could be reconsidered by the Executive Board after the Eleventh World Health Assembly. However, the attention of the Committee is also drawn to paragraph 2 " ..••. if it is found necessary, each regional committee may meanwhi-le study for itself the delineation of areas having uniform geographical, sanitary or social characteristics within . l ' a s~ng e reg~on, ••••• " The First World Health Assembly authorized the Executive Board to establish regional organizations in accordance with the delineation of geographical areas decided upon as soon as the consent of the majority of Members situated in such areas had been obtained. The Western Pacific Region embraces a very wide area and includes the following countries and territories: a) Countries with seats of government in the Region Australia Cambodia China (Taiwan) b) Japan Korea Laos New Zealand Philippines Viet Nam
Countries responsible for territories within the Region France Portugal The Netherlands The United Kingdom of Great Britain The United States of America
The following territories have been aSSigned to the Region American Samoa British Solomon Islands Protectorate Brunei Cook Islands Federation of Malaya Fiji Gilbert and Ellice Islands Guam
Hong Kong Nauru New Caledonia and dependencies
New Hebrides Niue North Borneo Oceania Papua and New Guinea Sarawak Singapore Tonga Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands Wallis and Foutouna Islands West New Guinea Western Samoa
In addition Macau and Timor-Dili have been participating in the activities of the Region for some years, although no precise indication has ever been received from the Government of Portugal concerning the assignment of these territories. The question of delineation was not discussed at the last session of the Committee and there is, therefore, no reference to this point in the Committee's report. If the Committee wishes to undertake this specific study, it is suggested that the appointment of a working group might be considered.