Eradication for poliomyelitis in the Region (Resolution)

26 REGIONAL COMMITTEE: FORTY-SEVENTH SESSION I . URGES Member States: (I) to continue to show strong political commitment to national STD/HIV I AIDS prevention efforts; (2) to give continued active support to UNAIDS in achievement of its objectives; (3) to be actively involved in extrabudgetary fund-raising efforts with partner agencies to permit a full and appropriate range ofSTD/HIV/AIDS programming; (4) to participate actively in the proceedings of the Programme Coordinating Board of UNAIDS; 2. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (I) to strengthen activities in support of Member States' responses to sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection and AIDS through maintenance of a strong technical capability within WHO to respond to related health issues; (2) to ensure the collaboration of the Regional Office with UNAIDS specifically through active WHO participation in theme group activities at country level; (3) to collaborate with Member States in the development of national policies that support efforts to prevent and control sexually transmitted diseases, HIV infection and AIDS; (4) to collaborate in resource mobilization for STD/HIV I AIDS activities; (5) to report in 1997 on further developments relating to UNAIDS. Sixth Meeting, 12 September 1996 WPRlRC47/SRl6 WPRlRC47.R7 ERADICATION OF POLIOMYELITIS IN THE REGION The Regional Committee, Having considered the progress report of the Regional Director on the eradication of poliomyelitis in the Region; I Acknowledging the achievements made by Member States towards eradicating poliomyelitis, especially the national immunization days that were conducted in six countries in the Region during the low disease transmission seasons of 1995 and 1996; Noting the decrease in the number of reported cases which meet the clinical criteria for poliomyelitis in 1995 to a provisional total of 474 as at I September 1996, the lowest ever reported to the Regional Office; Noting also that under conditions of improving surveillance, the only cases of indigenous wild poliovirus-associated poliomyelitis were reported from Cambodia and the southern region of Viet Nam in 1995 and in 1996 up to I September; I Document WPRfRC4718 Rev.l. REPORT OF THE REGIONAL COMMITTEE 27 Noting further that the Regional Commission for Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis met in Canberra, Australia, in April 1996 and decided upon criteria and a plan of action for certification, including the need to establish national certification committees, and a subregional certification committee for Pacific islands; Acknowledging also that surveillance and laboratory performance are not yet at the highest standards of reliability that will be required for the certification of poliomyelitis eradication; Recognizing that routine immunization programmes and other disease control initiatives such as measles control and neonatal tetanus elimination are strengthened by the poliomyelitis eradication initiative; I. EMPHASIZES that the poliomyelitis eradication initiative in the Region must remain a high priority until global certification is achieved; 2. URGES all Member States which are still reporting poliomyelitis cases: (I) to make special efforts to improve the quality and coordination of supplementary immunization activities, so that all children in the target age group are immunized, including those in border areas, high risk areas and in mobile populations; (2) to exchange information, especially on surveillance activities; (3) to continue to develop virological surveillance and the laboratory network to attain the levels recommended for certification of eradication of poliomyelitis, as stipulated by the Regional Commission; (4) to prepare for the establishment of national committees which will gather and review documentation for the certification of the eradication of poliomyelitis, as stipulated by the Regional Commission; (5) to maintain high routine immunization coverage; 3. URGES all Member States which are not reporting poliomyelitis cases: (I) to continue to maintain high routine immunization coverage; (2) to continue to develop surveillance systems capable of detecting any occurrence of poliomyelitis cases, either indigenous or imported, and of demonstrating the absence of circulation of wild poliovirus, as stipulated by the Regional Commission; (3) to establish national committees by the end of 1996, which will gather and review documentation for the certification of the eradication of poliomyelitis, as stipulated by the Regional Commission; 4. THANKS the international partners who have been instrumental in the success of the poliomyelitis eradication initiative, particularly UNICEF, the governments of Australia, Canada, France, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and the United States of America, and Rotary International, Rotary International District 2650 cf Japan and other nongovernmental organizations; 5. URGES also all governments and international partners to maintain their commitment and continue to provide support until global eradication is certified; 28 REGIONAL COMMITIEE: FORTY-SEVENTH SESSION 6. REQUESTS the Regional Director: (I) to work closely with countries to establish national certification committees and the subregional certification committee for Pacific islands, and to improve the quality of surveillance and laboratory systems to the level required for certification; (2) to facilitate the exchange of information and coordination of poliomyelitis eradication efforts with other WHO regions; (3) to continue to use the expertise and systems developed for poliomyelitis eradication for the control of other vaccine-preventable diseases, including accelerated measles control. Eighth Meeting, 13 September 1996 WPRlRC47/SRl8 WPRlRC47.R8 COUNTRY VISITS: REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITIEE, PART I The Regional Committee, Having considered the report of the Sub-Committee of the Regional Committee on Programmes and Technical Cooperation on its visits to New Zealand and Viet Nam to review WHO's collaboration in the area of health systems reform; I Recognizing the value of the work of the Sub-Committee to Member States; I. ENDORSES the recommendations in the report on country visits of the Sub-Committee; 2. THANKS the Sub-Committee for its work; 3. REQUESTS the Sub-Committee, as part of its terms of reference in 1997, to review and analyse the impact of WHO's cooperation with Member States in the field of new, emerging and re- emerging diseases; 4. DECIDES that the countries to be visited in connection with the review should be Cambodia and Vanuatu. Eighth Meeting, 13 September 1996 WPRlRC47/SRl8 WPRlRC47.R9 RENEWING THE STRATEGY FOR HEALTH FOR ALL: REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITIEE, PART II The Regional Committee, Having considered the Report2 of the Sub-Committee of the Regional Committee on Programmes and Technical Cooperation, Palt II. on renewing the strategy for health for all; I. ENDORSES the report of the Sub-Committee; I Documenl WPRlRC47/9 Rev. I. 1 Document WPRlRC47/10.