PHA-Exchange> letter to The Lancet re DG WHO election

[Aviva]

LETTER TO THE LANCET

THE SELECTION OF WHO's NEW DIRECTOR GENERAL: A NEW PROCEDURE FOR A NEW
MILLENIUM.
The world needs a doer WHO DG, i.e. a doer for Health or All.

Dr Mrs Brundlandt is stepping down next July. The time has come for a new
accountability and transparency in the selection of the new DG. Today, this
accountability is no longer mainly owed to member Governments (who get
marred in matters of quotas, the trading of favors and of continental
rotations of the directorship). Instead, this accountability is primarily
owed to civil society organizations (CSOs) and health rights claim-holders
the world over.
But issues of accountability can only be measured against a work platform or
a plan drawn by potential candidates to the position. These have
traditionally not existed.
We, therefore, need to create a forum for the candidates to present their
platforms and their positions vis-a-vis the many burning current issues the
health sector faces nowadays; candidates also have to make known their plans
for WHO as an organisation.
All this has to be done soon (October-November 2002) since WHO's Executive
Board meets in January and will select the candidate to be proposed to the
World Health Assembly (WHA) in May 2003. This procedure may sound
unorthodox, but it sure is --no pun intended-- a 'healthy' move. Times have
changed, and the world cannot afford a next term of a DG with weak actions
on Health for All (HFA).
I suggest that the candidates submit the summary of their position papers to
The Lancet and this be followed by an open and democratic list-server
discussion over the Internet lasting at least four weeks. Candidates could
add a short list of senior collaborators they may wish to invite to work
with them in Geneva.
The other side of the coin is that, in this respect, CSOs have already
spoken. They have already published their platform in the form of the People
's Health Movement People's Charter for Health (People's Health Assembly,
Dacca, Bangladesh, December 2000) (www.phamovement.org). This Charter has
already been translated into over 20 languages and has received endorsements
by CSOs and individuals worldwide.  The Porto Alegre World Social Forum also
formed a Health Group and distributed a people's-centered call for action
(The Defense of the Health of People) (armandon at portoweb.com.br). The
candidates to the position of WHO DG cannot escape reacting to, at least,
these two documents.
At stake also is for the candidates to take clear cut positions in relation
to WHO's position vis-avis the World Bank, other UN agencies and The Global
Fund, as well as in relation to the separation of the Organisation from the
interests of Transnational Pharmaceutical Houses.
What cannot be missed by the candidates either is to express their views on
how to commit, beyond lip service, to a greater role for CSOs in the running
of WHO policy affairs --deepening what the current DG started through the
launching of WHO's Civil Society Initiative (CSI); this activity has to be
kept and enhanced to cover not only WHO Headquarters (HQ), but also
envisioning an expanded role for CSOs in WHO's Regional and Country Offices
work.

In short, in 2003, the world needs a DG who provides strong leadership and
direction to the WHA. We are entitled to know where the chosen candidate
stands on the major issues of the day, because s/he will then have to take
concrete actions on the policy issues and organizational changes presented
to and approved by the Assembly. I am aware that this is not an easy task,
but one can never win an issues and action debate if one does not engage in
such debates. I am convinced that most governments in the Group of 77 and in
the Non-Aligned Movement will go along with the new DG in approving, among
other, renewed commitments to HFA, to PHC, to community-based prepayment
schemes, and to health and nutrition as key elements in PRSPs and beyond.
But WHO --the Organisation-- has to then forcefully implement and follow up
such WHA resolutions asking for accountability in subsequent assemblies
(CSOs can be primary strategic allies in this follow up). This will
involve/require new commitments, not only from WHO HQs, but also from
regional and country offices which will have to be more consequent with and
become more persistent in implementing WHA and WHO HQ mandates until they
progressively become realities at each national level.

I look forward to the unprecedented and sorely needed dialogue here
proposed. The Lancet can formalize the invitations for candidates to join it
and publish their key positions. I am sure the People's Health Movement
would be glad to host the list-server discussion to follow.

Claudio Schuftan MD
IPO Box 369, Hanoi.
aviva at netnam.vn
September 6, 2002

I have not heard from The Lancet, so assume letter was rejected.