WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION REGIONAL COMMITTEE Seventh Session Manila 7-13 September 1956 Agenda Item 16.6
REGIONAL OFFICE FOR THE WESTERN PACIFIC WP/RC?/15 2 July 1956 ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
REPORTS ON THE WORLD HEALTH SITUATION The Constitution of WHO provides that "Each Member State shall report annually to the Organization on the action taken and the progress achieved in improving the health of its people. 1I In line with the above provision the Executive Boarr at its fifteenth session, having noted the report· of the Director-General on the decisions of the eighteenth session of the Economic and Social Council and the Ninth General Assembly, which stressed the need for assessments of the health situation in the world, adopted a resolution recognizing the responsibility of WHO to assess the world health situation. 2 The Board also requested the Director-General to submit a report to the Eighth World Health Assembly on the arrangements necessary to prepare such assessments, with special reference to the possibility of the Health Assembly studying periodically a report on the world health situation. The World Health Assembly, having considered the report of the Director-Genera13 , adopted resolution WHA8.404 in which, inter alia, it approved the resolution of the Executive Board, and "requests the Executive Board to study the matter further and to report to the Ninth World Health Assembly on the arrangements necessary for the preparation of such reports with special reference to the possibility that the Health Assembly study periodically a report on the world health situation. 1I In pursuance of this resolution a further report was prepared by the Director-Genera1 5 and considered by the Executive Board at its seventeenth session. The Executive Board transmitted the report to the Ninth World Health Assembly and suggested 6 that the Assembly recommend as a basis for the preparation of reports from those Members of IrmO, also Members of PASO, lUnpublished doc~ment EB15/46, Add.2 and Annex
~esolution EB15.R51, Off.. Rec. WId Hlth Org. 60, 20 3Unpublished doc~ent A8/F&B/9 4Resolution WHA8.40, Off. Rec. WId Hlth Org. 63, 39 50ff • Rec. WId Hlth Org. 68, 162, Annex 19 6 - Resolution EB17.R67, Off. Ree. WId Hlth Org. 68, 28
WP/RC7/15 Page 2 the relevant portions of the questionnaire in use by the PASO, and as a basis for the preparation of reports by Members in other regions, the list of headings'reproduced in Annex 4 of document A8/F&B/9, with necessary adjustments. The Ninth World Health Assembly having considered the resolutions of the Executive Board ani the report prepared by the Director -General l , confirmed that such studies and reports were essential to the fulfilment of the Organization's functions and adopted resolution WHA9.27 in which, it til. INVITES the Members of the World Health Organization to prepare, as a step toward the fulfilment of their obligations under Article 61 of the Constitution, a report covering as far as possible the period 1954 to the end of 1956;
RECOMMENDS, as a basis for the preparation of reports from those Members of the World Health Organization that are also Members of the Pan American Sanitary Organization, the relevant portions of the questionnaire in use by the PASO; and, as a basis for the preparation of reports by Members in other regions, the list of headings reproduced in Annex B of document A9/P&B/9, with necessary adjustments; 2.
3. REQUESTS the Director ..General trrough the regional organizations to give all suitable assistance to Member States in preparing these reports; and 4. REQUESTS the Director-General to prepare for the Eleventh World Health Assembly the first report on the world health situation summarizing the reports submitted by Members pursuant to Article 61 of the Constitution." The attention of the Committee is drawn to this resolution and the following draft resolution is submitted for consideration: The Regional Committee, Endorsing resolution WHA9.27 of the Ninth World Health Assembly; Recognizing th0 need far preparing a report on the world health situation covering, as far as possible, the period from 1954 to the end of 1956; Noting with approval the basis for the preparation of such reports as suggested by the Director-General in his report to the Health Assembly;
IUnpublished document A9/P&B/9
WP/RC7/l5 Page 3 URGES all Member Countrie s and territories in the Western Pacific Region to prepare, as a step towards the fulfilment of their obligation under Article 61 of the Constitution, the required reports covering the period indicated for submission to the Director-General through the Regional Director of the Western Pacific Region, 1.
RECOMMENDS that, as a basis for the preparation of these reports by Hember Countries and territories they make use of the list of headings attached herewith, with whatever adjustments they deem necessary to fit local conditions, and 2. 3~
REQUESTS the Regional Director to give all the necessary assistance which Member Countries and territories may solicit in the preparation of these reports.
A,,/P&J3/9 ANNEX B LIST OF HEADINGS UNDER WHICH H1FORMATION lrJAS TO BE REQUESTED FROM MEMBER STATES IN FULFILMENT OF ARTICLE 61 OF THE CONSTITUTION (Circular Letter sent in July 1950) Report covering calendar year I. General introduction 1.
,.A
Main vital and population data Short statement on recent changes in the population distribution patterns: urban and rural, age and sex distribution. Trends in general and infant mortality; main causes of death and proportion of unknown and unspecified causes. Reference to a recent authoritative study on the subject for further details.
1.1 1.2
Area of the country Population (estimate in (year») General mortality rate in (year) Infant mortality rate in (year) Birth-rate in (year) Progress in vital statistics registration; efforts to secure completeness of data and extension of medical certification of causes of death Organization of public health services A statement on the organization and, if available:
1.3 1.4
1.5 1.6
2.
2.1
General public health statistics such as data on tuberculosis sanitoria, venereal disease dispensaries and health units Statistics on curative medicine, such as data on hospitals, incl uding all types Statistics on public health personnel such as data on doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and pharmacists, medical and dental students
2.2 2.3
A9/P&B/9 Annex B page 2
Reference to the latest departmental, annual or special reports would be acceptable where relevant 3. Important economic or environmental factors bearing on the public hea~th and public health administration during the year (production of foodstuffs, nutrition, housing, unusual climatic conditions, national income and changes in budget) Percentage of general government budget allotted to central health administration If possible, percentage of budgetary appropriation far cental health administration allotted for (a) administrative and public health services, (b) medical care If possible, estimates of per capita cost of (a) public health administration and preventive medicine services, and (b) medical care based upon regional and local as well as central budgets Important general rreasures taken by the govermoont having a bearing on public health Important governrocmt decisions affecting the status of nonmetropolitan territories for which the Member state is responsible or having a bearing on r,he health of till population of these terri torie s .1
3.1 3.2
3.3
4.
5.
II.
Outstanding achievements in the field of public health during the year2
1 Information under this heading refers to statements Member States may wish to make on decisions and measures having a bearing on the health of several or all nonmetropolitan territories for which the Member State is responsible. 2 It is suggested that this part of the report should provide the material on highlights in the field of public health for the annual summary analysis which, according to Rule 5 (a) of -I:,he Ru~.es of Procedure of the World Health Assembly, is to be included in the annual report of the Director-General on the work of the Organization.
A9/P&J3/9 Annex B page 3 III. Action taken and progress achieved during the yearl 1.
Changes in too scope of health responsibilities of the government. Policies Changes in the organization of public health services Central health administration Regional and local health administration Additions to equipment (institutions, etc.) and staff Legislation Laws enacted and more important decrees and regulations adopted during the year International agreements bearing on public health, adopted New projects initiated during the year Land progress on projects described in previous report§! By government: national, regional or local By non-governmental organizations or bodies Surveys of health situation and state of health of the population Control of communicable diseases and campaigns against epidemics Control of endemic diseases and diseases of social importance Tuberculosis
2. 2.1 2.2 2.3
3. 3.1 3.2 4. 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.5.1
1 Items included under this heading are intended to serve as a framework for comprehensive and concise reports along uniform lines. It is appreciated that some que sti ons lis ted in this secti on have alr eady been deal t with in special reports in response to ciroular letters sent out by this Organization. Thus, information on on legislation, for instance, would consist of a short list of important laws and decrees, the full texts being forwarded to WHO under previous arrangements.
A9/P&B/9 Annex B page 4
4.5.2 4.5.3 4.5.4
Venereal diseases Cancer Malaria Trachoma Other diseases Progress in reporting of morbidity data Maternal and child health Mental hygiene Alcoholism and drug addiction Nutrition1 Recent developments in the training of public health personnel Medical Auxiliary Teaching of medicine Recent reforms in undergraduate teaching Recent reforms in graduate teaching and special courses Number of students attending medical schools Number of students 6Taduating Changes in medical care of the population Coverage by health insurance schemes Health centres Physicians (number in practice)
4.5.5 4.5.6 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10
5. 5.1
5.2
6. 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 7. 7.1 7.2 7.3
1 If not covered under items 4.3 and 9.3
A9/F.&B/9 Annex B page 5 8. 9. 9.1 9.2 Health education of the public Other activities state control of foodstuffs, drugs, biological and serological products in (year) Important State activities in housing, town and country planning, water supply and sewage disposal in (year) Progress in research having a bearing on improving the health of the population Planning
9.3
IV.
Main national present-day health problems. 1. 1.1 1.1.1 1.1.2
Long- and short-range planning activities Development of important programmes Proposed legislation submitted to governments Implementation of approved programmes