Report of the Executive Board on its 141st and 142nd sessions, and on its special session on the draft thirteenth general programme of work, 2019–2023

SEVENTY-FIRST WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY A71/2 Provisional agenda item 2 10 April 2018 Report of the Executive Board on its 141st and 142nd sessions, and on its special session on the draft thirteenth general programme of work, 2019–2023 1. The Executive Board held its 141st session on 1 and 2 June 2017, its special session on the draft thirteenth general programme of work on 22 and 23 November 2017, and its 142nd session from 22 to 27 January 2018. This report summarizes the main outcomes of the three sessions. 141ST SESSION (1 AND 2 JUNE 2017) 2. The Board adopted its agenda with 18 items and sub-items and 18 documents. It adopted two resolutions and eight decisions. 3. The Board, after a full discussion of the Secretariat’s report on rheumatic heart disease, resolved to recommend that the Seventy-first World Health Assembly request WHO’s reinvigorated engagement in the prevention and control of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease. The Organization should lead and coordinate global efforts, including an assessment of the magnitude of the problem. 4. The Board extensively discussed governance reform, and decided to request the Officers of the Board to apply on a trial basis a tool and criteria for prioritizing proposals for additional items to be added to the provisional agenda of the Board’s 142nd session. On the evaluation of the election of the Director-General, it decided to establish an evaluation management group. 5. The Board noted the report on the eradication of malaria, and agreed that in future sessions the title of the item would be “Future scenarios for malaria, including eradication” to reflect the mandate of the Strategic Advisory Group. It also noted the report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee, the annual report on evaluation, the report on and review of hosted partnerships, the statement by the representative of the WHO staff associations, and the report on meetings of expert committees and study groups. 6. It also confirmed amendments to the Staff Rules relating to mandatory age of separation to take effect from 1 January 2019. 7. The Board appointed new members of the Independent Expert Oversight Advisory Committee and the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee and filled a vacant position on a foundation committee. A71/2 2 SPECIAL SESSION ON THE DRAFT THIRTEENTH GENERAL PROGRAMME OF WORK (22 AND 23 NOVEMBER 2017) 8. The objective of the special session was to consider the draft thirteenth general programme of work, 2019−2023, which was fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals, and elicit comments from the Board for the preparation of a revised text to be submitted to the Board at its 142nd session in January 2018. The Board welcomed the transparent and inclusive consultative process for the drafting of the text submitted for its consideration. The Secretariat would revise the draft in line with the comments made and any further feedback received up to 29 November 2017. 142ND SESSION (23–31 JANUARY 2018) 9. The Board adopted an agenda with 31 items and sub-items and 47 accompanying documents. Throughout the session, the Board adopted nine resolutions and 17 decisions. 10. Introducing what he wanted to be an interactive dialogue, the Director-General emphasized the central role of universal health coverage in the work of the Organization and the need to transform WHO. Through numerous interventions Member States provided support and much constructive input. Strategic priority matters 11. After an extensive debate over several meetings, the Board decided to recommend that the Seventy-first World Health Assembly approve the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023.1 12. Noting the report on the preparation for a high-level meeting of the General Assembly on ending tuberculosis, to be held in 2018, the Board resolved to request the Director-General to prepare a draft multisectoral accountability framework that enables the monitoring, reporting, review and actions needed to accelerate progress to end tuberculosis both globally and nationally. The framework would be submitted to the Seventy-first World Health Assembly. The Board also recommended that the Health Assembly urge Member States, and call upon international partners, to pursue the commitments made and actions set out in the Moscow Declaration to End TB (2017). Further, it should request the Director-General to develop a global strategy for tuberculosis research and innovation. 13. With regard to public health preparedness and response, the Board noted both the report of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, whose recommendations the Director-General said would all be implemented, and the streamlined reporting of WHO’s work in health emergencies. It also decided to recommend that the Health Assembly endorse a five-year global strategic plan to improve public health preparedness and response and agree on annual reporting on progress in implementing the International Health Regulations (2005). 14. The Board acknowledged the Director-General’s establishment of a polio transition planning and management team. It also requested the Director-General inter alia: to submit to the Health 1 As contained in document EB142/3 Rev.1. A71/2 3 Assembly a detailed strategic action plan on polio transition; to ensure regular communication to all Member States on progress in polio transition planning; and to report to the governing bodies during the period 2018–2020 on progress in the transition and polio post-certification, having taken note of the strategy on the latter. 15. Having noted the report on health, environment and climate change, the Board decided to request the Director-General to prepare a report on actions taken on the interlinkages between human health and biodiversity for consideration by the Seventy-first World Health Assembly. It also requested the drafting of an action plan for a platform within the draft thirteenth general programme of work 2019–2023 to address the health effects of climate change initially in small island developing States and a draft comprehensive global strategy on health, environment and climate change developed through broad consultation, both to be submitted to the Seventy-second World Health Assembly. 16. The Board, having noted the report on addressing the global shortage of, and access to, medicines and vaccines, recommended the Health Assembly to request the elaboration of a road map report outlining the programming of WHO’s work on access to medicines and vaccines, including activities, actions and deliverables for the period 2019−2023 for submission to the Seventy-second World Health Assembly. 17. The Board considered the report on the global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property and the actions recommended by the expert review panel for the overall programme review of that strategy and plan. It recommended the Health Assembly to urge implementation of the recommendations and to request the Director-General to prepare an implementation plan. 18. The extensive report on preparation for the third High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, to be held in 2018 was noted by the Board, as was the accompanying report on the preliminary evaluation of the WHO coordination mechanism on the prevention and control of communicable diseases. 19. With regard to the transformation of WHO, the Board welcomed the proposed value-for-money approach and the commitment to increase efficiency and cost-savings. It noted the report on WHO reform. Other technical matters 20. The Board noted the report on global snakebite burden, welcomed the inclusion of snakebite envenoming in the list of neglected tropical diseases, and adopted a cosponsored resolution that recommended the Health Assembly to urge Member States to undertake a range of actions and to request the Director-General to provide a range of supporting activities. 21. After noting the report on physical activity and health, the Board resolved to recommend the Health Assembly to endorse a global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030 and adopt the voluntary global target of a 15% relative reduction, using a baseline of 2016, in the global prevalence of physical inactivity in adolescents and in adults by 2030. It also recommended requesting the Director-General to update the global recommendations on physical activity for health 2010, to finalize a monitoring and evaluation framework on the implementation of the global action plan, and to produce, before the end of 2020, the first global status report on physical activity. A71/2 4 22. The Board observed that the global approach to assistive technology must focus on ensuring equitable access to products and services for all. It noted the report on improving access to assistive technology and adopted a cosponsored resolution, recommending that the Health Assembly urge Member States to undertake a series of activities to improve access to assistive technologies within universal health and/or social services coverage. The Health Assembly should also request the Director-General inter alia to prepare, by 2021, a global report on effective access to assistive technology in the context of an integrated approach. 23. The Board noted the biennial report on the comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition and the report on safeguarding against possible conflicts of interest in nutrition programmes. It decided to note the analysis on the extension to 2030 of the 2025 targets on maternal, infant and young child nutrition and to approve the four remaining indicators of the Global Monitoring Framework on maternal, infant and young child nutrition. Member States were invited to consider the full list of indicators in their national nutrition monitoring frameworks. 24. The Board also noted the reports on the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030): early childhood development and mHealth. Other managerial, administrative and governance matters 25. The Board reappointed Dr Carissa Etienne as Regional Director for the Americas. 26. The Board noted the report on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits. It decided that until the end of 2022 the current proportional division of Partnership Contribution resources between pandemic preparedness and response shall continue, with the proviso that the Director-General shall continue to be able to modify temporarily the allocation of those resources as required in order to respond to pandemic influenza emergencies. 27. The Board also noted the statement by the representative of the WHO staff associations, the report of the Ombudsman and the report of its Programme, Budget and Administration Committee. It also noted the update on evaluation and approved the Organization-wide evaluation plan for 2018–2019. 28. The Board confirmed the amendments to the Staff Rules concerning definitions, education grants, settling-in grants, repatriation grants, mobility, special leave, leave without pay, resignations, administrative reviews, the Global Board of Appeal, and the remuneration of staff in the professional and higher categories. It also recommended that the Health Assembly adopt the proposed amendments to the Staff Regulations concerning Deputy Directors-General, and establish the salaries of staff in ungraded positions and the Director-General. 29. Having considered the report on evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization, the Board decided to request the Secretariat to submit a proposal for adjustments to the election process, and any necessary revisions to the code of conduct, for consideration by the Board at its 144th session in January 2019. 30. After considering the recommendation of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee and the two reports on engagement with non-State actors, including the review of one third of the non-State actors in official relations with WHO, the Board adopted a decision on the A71/2 5 outcome of that review, including the admission into and discontinuance of those relations with several bodies. 31. Having considered the reports of the various selection panels or prize committees concerned, the Board awarded six foundation or health prizes. 32. The Board approved the provisional agenda of the Seventy-first World Health Assembly, and decided the date and place of the 143rd session of the Board (28 and 29 May 2018, Geneva). Matters for information 33. The Board noted the following reports: report of the regional committees to the Executive Board, global vaccine action plan, reports of advisory bodies and eradication of poliomyelitis. = = =