REGIONAL COMMITTEE Sixty-first Session SEARO, New Delhi 8–11 September 2008
Provisional Agenda item 18.1 SEA/RC61/17 16 July 2008
FOLLOW-UP ACTION ON SELECTED RESOLUTIONS/DECISIONS OF THE LAST THREE YEARS: SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGIONAL HEALTH EMERGENCY FUND The Regional Committee resolution SEA/RC60/R7 acknowledged the establishment of the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF). The purpose of this fund is to provide immediate financial assistance to Member countries for meeting their health requirements following an emergency. The SEARHEF has performed well in two emergencies in the Region already ⎯ cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in May 2008 and flash floods in Sri Lanka in June 2008. The issues related to the fund were discussed at the meeting of the Advisory Committee (ACM) held in WHO/SEARO, New Delhi from 30 June to 3 July 2008. During discussions, Member States made a request to WHO to facilitate the process involved for the Assessed Contribution (AC) portion of SEARHEF to be carried over to subsequent bienniums, which was later taken up by the SPPDM. The ACM made the following recommendations:
Action by Member States (1) Continue to support further development and management of the SEARHEF through active participation in the meetings of the Working Group and other statutory meetings of WHO; and Advocate and support the process at appropriate forums for SEARHEF to become revolving .
(2)
Action by WHO/SEARO (1) (2) Support the improvement of policies, principles and guidelines as per suggestions of the Working Group of SEARHEF; and Through appropriate steps and channels, support the requests of Member countries for the SEARHEF to be revolving.
A meeting of the Working Group for SEARHEF, with members nominated by all Member countries was also held in WHO/SEARO, New Delhi on 5 July 2008. The meeting provided specific changes to improve the policy and guidelines for the fund as well as points for consideration to improve the management of the fund and mobilize resources for it. This includes specific reporting and monitoring formats and concrete steps for resource mobilization. This paper is now submitted to the Sixty-first Session of the Regional Committee for its consideration.
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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) (2) US$ 1 000 000 (one million US dollars) were allocated in January 2008 under the Regular Budget for the 2008-2009 biennium. Nominations from all 11 Member countries of the Region were obtained for constituting a Working Group to monitor and review the management of the fund. The first meeting of this Working Group was held on 5 July 2008.
Utilization of funds under the SEARHEF 3. Five months after the establishment of the SEARHEF, cyclone Nargis struck Myanmar on 23 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 the Myanmar Country Office 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. Assessments and logistics activities were also supported by the fund. The supplies reached the severely affected areas of Laputta, Pathein and Bogale in the Ayeryarwady delta and the affected areas in Yangon division. 4. On 2 June 2008, heavy rains caused flash floods in five districts of Sri Lanka: Kalutara, Ratnapura, Colombo, Galle and Gampaha. The UN, other international agencies and the Disaster Management Center (DMC) led by the Sri Lankan government, responded to the crises immediately. For Health, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health and Nutrition requested LKR 2 500 000 (approximately US$ 23 500) from WHO, for distribution to the five most affected districts. WHO released US$ 23 500 to the five affected districts of Sri Lanka with the following main activity areas proposed by the government: Rapid assessment; Water and sanitation; Maintenance of drug supply; Antenatal care; Regular visits to camps of internally displaced people; and Health education for the displaced populations.
First Meeting of the Working Group of SEARHEF 5. The First meeting of the Working Group for SEARHEF was held in WHO/SEARO, New Delhi on 5 July 2008. The meeting brought together, for the first time, members nominated by Member countries to : • Review the progress of implementation of the SEARHEF with reference to providing support for: Cyclone Nargis; and flash floods in Sri Lanka;
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• • 6.
Suggest revisions, as appropriate, to the document on existing policy, principles and guidelines; and Provide advice on the next steps to be taken regarding the SEARHEF.
The key results of the meeting were: • Revisions in the policy and guidelines on: − − • • • • Criteria for funding from SEARHEF specifying that this is for disasters (natural or man-made); and Documentation of the government request, which will be an integral part of the activation of the fund especially for small emergencies.
Member countries emphasized the need for the fund to be revolving and requested WHO to take this issue forward. The SEARHEF working group members supported the request made at the ACM for the AC portion of the SEARHEF to be carried over to subsequent bienniums. A reporting and monitoring format was also agreed upon by the group. For resource mobilization: Key messages for donors were outlined by the group and a commitment that the next resource mobilization activities will be actively supported by the working group members.
Mobilization of voluntary contributions for the fund 7. 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. 8. A printed brochure on SEARHEF was displayed and circulated to delegates and partner agencies at regional and global conferences as well as at international meetings organized by WHO. 9. Representatives of donor countries were met and briefed on the nature of the fund and specific follow-up.
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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 SouthEast 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.