WHO Executive Board to Tackle Key Global Health Issues

WHO Executive Board to Tackle Key Global Health Issues

January 23, 2007

Agenda Includes Measles, Polio, Chronic Diseases and
Pandemic Influenza

    GENEVA, Jan. 23 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Executive
Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) opened its
twice-yearly session on Monday with a speech from the new
Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, highlighting recent
public health successes and setting out some of the threats
to global health.  The 34-member Board will discuss a range
of issues including measles, malaria, polio, the prevention
and control of chronic diseases, avian and pandemic
influenza, and implementation of the International Health
Regulations.

    (Logo:
http://www.xprn.com.cn/xprn/sa/20061102095006-51.jpg )

    In her opening speech, Dr Chan told the Board members,
"We begin our discussions in what I believe are
optimistic times for health."  She outlined what she
called the "spectacular success story" of
measles.  WHO announced last week that global deaths from
measles have been reduced by 60 per cent since 2000,
exceeding the already ambitious target of a 50% cut.

    Dr Chan set out the wider health gains linked to
measles immunisation. "The news gets even better. 
Increasingly, this initiative is delivering a bundle of
life-saving and health-promoting interventions: bed nets
for malaria, vitamin A to boost the immune system,
de-worming tablets that help keep children in school, polio
vaccine, and tetanus vaccine for pregnant women." 

    "I view this initiative as a model of what can be
achieved through integrated service delivery," she
said. "This is a value-added approach that amplifies
the power of public health."

    Dr Chan then returned to one of her key themes: the
work of the World Health Organization should be judged by
the impact it has on the health of women and of people in
Africa.  "Much of what we are already doing has an
impact on women and the African people.  This is not
surprising.  The threats to these two groups are numerous. 
Many of these threats are receiving high-level attention as
we strive to meet the Millennium Development Goals, to
which I am fully committed."

    Dr Chan addressed another potentially huge gain for
children around the world: the eradication of polio.  She
reported the conclusion of the advisory committee on polio
eradication that "it is technically feasible to
interrupt polio transmission worldwide."  However, she
said the world now faces a key question: "Are we now in
a position to overcome the operational and financial
obstacles?  I believe we need to assess the country-level
operations very carefully to ensure that we can indeed
interrupt transmission globally."

    She told the Board that she will convene an
"urgent high-level consultation" from 27 to 28
February: "The expected outcome is a set of milestones
that must be met if transmission is to be interrupted in the
four remaining endemic countries.  The consultation will
also consider the funding required to meet these
milestones."

    Dr Chan also re-emphasized her focus on evidence. 
"As I have said, what gets measured gets done ... If
we want to set out a compelling health agenda, we must look
not only at the needs we are addressing, but also at the
results of our efforts.  We must keep track to stay on
track."

    She went on to address avian influenza and the threat
of an influenza pandemic.  "The message is
straightforward: we must not let down our guard," she
said.  "The whole world has lived under the imminent
threat of an influenza pandemic for more than three years. 
These years of experience have taught us just how tenacious
this H5N1 virus is in birds."

    The Board also heard a report from Dr Anders Nordstr?m,
acting WHO Director-General until January 3, on the work of
the Organization since May.  Dr Nordstr?m told the Board
that since the death in May of the previous
Director-General, Dr LEE Jong-wook, WHO has been
"continually focusing on improving the health of
people across the world."

    Dr Nordstr?m outlined key areas in which progress has
been made since May, including collaboration with other UN
agencies and with the World Bank, direct engagement in the
G8 summit in July, engaging in and providing leadership in
health partnerships, advancing work on chronic,
non-communicable diseases and on communicable diseases,
including the neglected tropical diseases.  Dr Nordstr?m
also outlined important developments in the areas of health
systems development and the management of WHO. 

    A report to the Executive Board on implementation of
the global strategy for the prevention and control of
chronic diseases concludes that much has been done but more
progress is still needed. The global epidemic of chronic
diseases continues.  Last year, 35 million people died as a
result of chronic diseases, equivalent to 60% of all deaths
globally.  These deaths are projected to increase by a
further 17% over the next decade.

    Other issues on the Board's agenda include:
tuberculosis; gender, women and health; oral health; health
systems; and the rational use of medicines, including better
medicines for children. 10.5 million children under the age
of five years die every year.  Most of these deaths are
from treatable conditions.  Treatments exist, but some are
not available in dosages that are suitable for children; of
those that do exist in appropriate dosages, many are not
available in low- and middle-income countries. 

    Also on the agenda at next week's Board meeting are:
health promotion; progress reports on public health,
innovation and intellectual property; cancer prevention and
control; public health problems caused by the harmful use of
alcohol and the Commission on Social Determinants of Health.


    The Executive Board is comprised of representatives
from 34 WHO Member States.  The individuals are designated
by Member States elected to do so by the World Health
Assembly.  The main functions of the Executive Board are to
give effect to the decisions and policies of the Assembly,
to advise it and generally facilitate its work.  This
session of the Board is scheduled to last from 22-30
January.


    Information for journalists wishing to cover the
event:

    For accreditation, journalists are invited to contact
the WHO Media Centre at [phone] or email:
[e-mail].

    For journalists wishing to cover the public meetings of
the Executive Board, there is a clearly marked press gallery
on level SS1 on the left-hand side of the Executive Board
Room.  Please note that TV cameras and photographers are
not allowed on the main floor during meeting hours.

    All WHO information, fact sheet and news releases are
available at http://www.who.int .  All the documents on the
EB session are available at: http://www.who.int/governance
in six languages.    

    For more information, please contact: 

     Christine McNab
     Acting Director
     Communications Department
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]
         
     Iain Simpson
     Communications Officer
     Communications Department
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail]
         
     Chris Black
     Multimedia Communications Officer
     Department of Communications
     Tel:    [phone]
     Mobile: [phone]
     Email:  [e-mail] 

    Communications assistants:
     
     Cecilia Mazuy
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]
     
     Veronica Riemer
     Tel:   [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]


SOURCE  World Health Organization