World Health Organization Organisation mondiale de la Santé EXECUTIVE BOARD 101st Session EB101/DIV/4 27 January 1998
Decisions and list of resolutions
I. DECISIONS
EB101(1)
Reports of the Programme Development Committee and the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee of the Executive Board
The Executive Board noted the reports of its Programme Development Committee (PDC)1 and Administration, Budget and Finance Committee (ABFC)2 and endorsed their conclusions concerning continuing evaluation of the two Committees, including use of outside expertise, pursuance of development of the evaluation system in WHO, progress made on plans of action, proposed outline of the Tenth General Programme of Work, and the recommendation (a) that more attention should be given to reporting requirements in Health Assembly resolutions and (b) that the Director-General should study the matter further and report to the fifth meeting of PDC. It agreed to consider other matters raised in the reports of PDC and ABFC under the related agenda items. (Second meeting, 19 January 1998) EB101/SR/2
EB101(2)
Review of the Constitution of the World Health Organization: report of the Executive Board special group (Article 73 of the Constitution: Amendments)
The Executive Board, recognizing the need to accelerate the procedure for the entry-into-force of amendments to the Constitution once adopted by the Health Assembly, decided to defer consideration of the proposed amendment to Article 73 contained in the report of the special group for the review of the Constitution of the World Health Organization,3 and requested the Director-General to present to the Executive Board at its 102nd session a study of the legal situation in other international organizations of the United Nations system concerning entry-into-force of amendments, and to propose solutions consistent with international law in order to accelerate the entry-into-force of amendments to the Constitution. (Eighth meeting, 22 January 1998) EB101/SR/8
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Document EB101/3. Document EB101/4. Document EB101/7.
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EB101(3)
Review of the Constitution of the World Health Organization: report of the Executive Board special group (Article 2 of the Constitution: Functions)
The Executive Board requested the Director-General to ensure that the revised text of Article 2, as contained in the report of the special group for the review of the Constitution,1 is reviewed at all levels of the Organization during the course of 1998, and to submit to the Executive Board at its 103rd session a final text reflecting this broad consultative process. (Eighth meeting, 22 January 1998) EB101/SR/8
EB101(4)
Health systems development
The Executive Board requested that a progress report on the proposed initiative for health systems development should be submitted to its 102nd session. (Eighth meeting, 22 January 1998) EB101/SR/8
EB101(5)
Report on meetings of expert committees and study groups
The Executive Board considered and took note of the Director-General’s report on the meetings of the following expert committees and study groups:2 WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization, fortysixth report,3 WHO Expert Committee on Leprosy, seventh report,4 Report of a WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF Study Group (Programming for adolescent health),5 and Joint WHO/FAO/NACA (Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia and the Pacific) Study Group (Food safety issues associated with products from aquaculture).4 It thanked the experts who had taken part in the meetings and requested the Director-General to follow up their recommendations, as appropriate, in the implementation of the Organization’s programmes, bearing in mind the discussion in the Board. (Eleventh meeting, 24 January 1998) EB101/SR/11
EB101(6)
WHO reform: WHO country offices
The Executive Board (1) endorsed the principle of utilizing a common set of objective criteria to determine the nature and extent of WHO representation at country level; (2) requested the Director-General to develop further the criteria for classifying countries on the basis of need, in conformity with those provided in resolution EB101.R10 on regular budget allocations to regions, and to report the results of his refinement of the criteria to the Executive Board at its 102nd session; (3) requested that the refined criteria should be applied in a flexible manner, in order to guide decisions on the nature and level of WHO representation at the country level, taking into account the activities of other organizations and countries; (4) requested that any changes in WHO representation at the country level resulting from application of these criteria should be phased in over the next Document EB101/7. Document EB101/16. 3 WHO Technical Report Series, No. 872 (in press). 4 WHO Technical Report Series (in preparation). 5 WHO/UNFPA/UNICEF. Action for Adolescent Health: Towards a Common Agenda. Recommendations from a joint Study Group, Geneva: WHO, 1997 (document WHO/FRH/ADH/97.9). 2 1
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three bienniums; (5) emphasizing the leadership role of WHO in United Nations health activities and its role as the directing and coordinating authority for international health work, requested WHO to cooperate fully with other organizations and bodies of the United Nations system at country level; (6) requested the Director-General to report to the Executive Board at its 103rd session on the outcome of the pilot phase of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, which is being conducted in 19 countries. (Twelfth meeting, 24 January 1998) EB101/SR/12
EB101(7)
Award of the Dr A.T. Shousha Foundation Prize
The Executive Board, having considered the report of the Dr A.T. Shousha Foundation Committee, awarded the Dr A.T. Shousha Foundation Prize for 1998 to Dr Awad Hussein Abudejaja (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) for his outstanding contribution to the improvement of the health situation in the geographical area in which Dr Shousha served the World Health Organization. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(8)
Award of the Jacques Parisot Foundation Fellowship
The Executive Board, having considered the report of the Jacques Parisot Foundation Committee, awarded the Jacques Parisot Foundation Fellowship for 1998 to Mr Boinikum Benson Konlaan (Ghana). (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(9)
Award of the Sasakawa Health Prize
The Executive Board, having considered the report of the Sasakawa Health Prize Committee, awarded the Sasakawa Health Prize for 1998 to (1) Ms Roselyn Mokgantsho Mazibuko (South Africa); (2) Dr Ahmed Abdul Qadr Al Ghassani (Oman); and (3) the Gondar College of Medical Sciences (Ethiopia). The Board noted that Ms Mazibuko and Dr Al Ghassani would receive an amount of US$ 30 000 each and that the Gondar College of Medical Sciences would receive US$ 40 000 for their outstanding innovative work in health development. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(10)
Award of the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize
The Executive Board, having considered the report of the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Committee, awarded the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize for 1998 to Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton (United States of America) for her outstanding contribution to health development. The Board noted that Mrs Clinton would receive US$ 40 000. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
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EB101(11)
Report of the UNICEF/WHO Joint Committee on Health Policy
The Executive Board took note of the report of the UNICEF/WHO Joint Committee on Health Policy on its thirty-first and final session, held in Geneva on 19 and 20 May 1997,1 and endorsed the recommendations made by the Committee. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(12)
WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Coordinating Committee on Health
The Executive Board, having considered the report of the Director-General,2 agreed that a preliminary meeting of the WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA Coordinating Committee on Health should be held in 1998. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(13)
Reports of the Joint Inspection Unit
The Executive Board, having considered the reports of the Joint Inspection Unit entitled “The advancement of women through and in the programmes of the United Nations system: what happens after the Fourth World Conference on Women?”, “The involvement of the United Nations system in providing and coordinating humanitarian assistance”, “Strengthening of the United Nations system capacity for conflict prevention”, “Coordination of policy and programming frameworks for more effective development cooperation”, “Review of financial resources allocated by the United Nations system to activities by non-governmental organizations”, and “Comparison of methods of calculating equitable geographical distribution within the United Nations common system”, thanked the Joint Inspection Unit for its reports and expressed its agreement with the DirectorGeneral’s comments thereon.3 It requested the Director-General to transmit those comments to the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations, the participating organizations of the Unit, the Chairman of the Joint Inspection Unit, and the External Auditor of WHO, for their information and perusal. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(14)
Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Members in arrears to an extent which would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution
The Executive Board, having discussed the possibility of recommending that, for the Fifty-first World Health Assembly, which marks the fiftieth anniversary of WHO, voting rights be restored to countries which, in accordance with Article 7 of the Constitution, had lost that privilege, decided that that proposal, which was to be seen as an exceptional measure and not an exemption from financial obligations, should be considered, in the light of the comments made by some members of the Board concerning the careful examination of each case, by the Administration, Budget and Finance Committee before being presented to the Fifty-first World Health Assembly. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16 1 2
Document JCHP31/97.6. Document EB101/18. 3 Document EB101/22.
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EB101(15)
Review of nongovernmental organizations in official relations with WHO and collaboration with nongovernmental organizations
The Executive Board, having considered the report of its Standing Committee on Nongovernmental Organizations,1 decided to maintain official relations with 53 of the 65 2 nongovernmental organizations reviewed at its 101st session. It welcomed with thanks the contribution of these nongovernmental organizations to the work of WHO in such diverse fields of mutual interest as the ethical dimensions of health care, enhanced epidemiological capabilities and health records management at the national level, and to implementation of a number of WHO resolutions, for example, resolution WHA48.8 on the reorientation of medical education and medical practice for health for all. Training and continuing education remained an important joint activity, for example, in laboratory medicine, surgery, and support to building up technical and managerial capacity for management of health systems infrastructure in developing countries. Another aspect of collaboration was the organizations’ contribution to WHO’s normative activities, for example, elaboration of risk assessment documents prepared by the International Programme on Chemical Safety, and the ongoing work in connection with good manufacturing practices for pharmaceutical products. Regarding relations with the International Society of Hematology, the Board decided to maintain the Society in official relations with WHO for a period of one year in order to draw up a plan for collaboration. In the absence of reports on collaboration, the Board decided to defer for one year review of relations with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Medical Society of Paraplegia, International Academy of Legal Medicine, Network of Community-Oriented Educational Institutions for Health Sciences, World Organization of Family Doctors and the International College of Surgeons. It requested the Director-General to inform nongovernmental organizations of the importance of maintaining timely communications. With regard to the follow-up to decision EB99(17) concerning relations with four other nongovernmental organizations, the Board noted with regret that it had not been possible to agree on plans for collaboration with the International Federation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the World Federation of Parasitologists, and the World Veterans Federation. It decided to defer consideration of the maintenance of these organizations in official relations with WHO for one year. It requested that a report on the results of efforts to draw up plans for collaboration should be submitted to the Board at its 103rd session. It also found that there was every reason to expect that relations with the International Society for Human and Animal Mycology would be revitalized through implementation of the agreed plan for collaboration, and therefore decided to maintain the Society in official relations with WHO. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(16)
Review of overall policy on collaboration with nongovernmental organizations
The Executive Board thanked the Director-General for his report.3 It requested the Director-General to initiate a consultation process, including a meeting with nongovernmental organizations and any other interested parties on the matter of official relations between WHO and nongovernmental organizations whose main area of competence lies outside the health and related fields, and to encourage increased informal contacts with such 1 2
Document EB101/32. Included in this number is the International Committee of the Red Cross which is the subject of resolution EB101.R21. 3 Document EB101/33.
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organizations. It further requested that a report on the outcome of the consultation process and of informal contacts, if any, should be prepared for the consideration of the Board. The Board took note of the revised United Nations Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31 on “Consultative relationship between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations”. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(17)
Provisional agenda for and duration of the Fifty-first World Health Assembly
The Executive Board approved the Director-General’s proposals, as amended, for the provisional agenda 2 of the Fifty-first World Health Assembly.1 Recalling its earlier decision that the Fifty-first World Health Assembly should be held in the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland and open on Monday, 11 May 1998 at 10:00, the Board decided that it should close no later than Saturday, 16 May 1998. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
EB101(18)
Date and place of the 102nd session of the Executive Board
The Executive Board decided that its 102nd session should be convened on Monday, 18 May 1998, at WHO headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland and should close no later than the following day, Tuesday, 19 May 1998. (Sixteenth meeting, 27 January 1998) EB101/SR/16
II. LIST OF RESOLUTIONS
EB101.R1 EB101.R2
Programme budget evaluation Review of the Constitution of the World Health Organization: report of the Executive Board special group Cross-border advertising, promotion and sale of medical products through the Internet Tuberculosis Global elimination of blinding trachoma Disease prevention and control: Elimination of transmission of Chagas disease Disease prevention and control: Elimination of leprosy as a public health problem
EB101.R3 EB101.R4 EB101.R5 EB101.R6 EB101.R7
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Documents EB101/35 and EB101/INF.DOC./1. Decision EB100(12).
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EB101.R8 EB101.R9
Health promotion Noncommunicable disease prevention and control
EB101.R10 Regular budget allocations to regions EB101.R11 Nomination for the post of Director-General EB101.R12 Draft contract of the Director-General EB101.R13 Expression of appreciation to Dr Hiroshi Nakajima EB101.R14 Environmental matters: Strategy on sanitation for high-risk communities EB101.R15 Environmental matters: Protection of human health from threats related to climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion EB101.R16 Efficiency plan for the financial period 1998-1999 EB101.R17 Status of collection of assessed contributions EB101.R18 Amendments to Financial Regulations and Rules EB101.R19 Confirmation of amendments to the Staff Rules EB101.R20 Confirmation of amendments to the Staff Rules EB101.R21 Collaboration with nongovernmental organizations: Nongovernmental Organizations EB101.R22 Health-for-all policy for the twenty-first century EB101.R23 Concerted public health action on anti-personnel mines EB101.R24 Revised drug strategy EB101.R25 Ethical, scientific and social implications of cloning in human health EB101.R26 Emerging and other communicable diseases: antimicrobial resistance Report of the Standing Committee on
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