PHA-Exchange> FIFTY-NINTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION FOR MEDIA

[Claudio]

From: "Vern Weitzel"
*FIFTY-NINTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY*

*GUIDELINES AND INFORMATION FOR MEDIA*

*Geneva* - The Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA) will take place
from 22-27 May 2006 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. The
WHA is the annual meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) 192
Member States. Issues to be discussed include:  strengthening
pandemic-influenza preparedness and response, including application of
the International Health Regulations 2005; infant and young child
nutrition; HIV/AIDS; polio eradication; sickle-cell anaemia; smallpox
eradication and the destruction of variola virus stocks; prevention of
avoidable blindness and visual impairment; international trade and
health; the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; intellectual
property rights, and the WHO Eleventh General Programme of Work,
2006-2015.**

The Assembly will consider several draft resolutions recommended by the
Executive Board on these and other issues.

*Keynote speaker*

On Tuesday 23 May the keynote speaker will be His Royal Highness, The
Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales is President of The Prince's
Foundation for Integrated Health and Patron of a number of health
charities. His Royal Highness has been made an Honorary Fellow of the
Royal Society of Medicine in recognition of his work in this field.

The agenda, the daily Journal and other WHA documents can be found at:
_http://www.who.int/gb/_ and will be available in Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish.

*Media Accreditation procedures*

Correspondents wishing to cover the WHA must be accredited by the office
of the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) at the
Palais des Nations in Geneva. To do this, journalists should send a fax
requesting accreditation to + 41 22 917 0073, along with a letter signed
by their editor indicating the reason for accreditation and the dates
for which accreditation is required, a photocopy of media credentials
and passport.

Once these documents have been approved by DPI, journalists can collect
their accreditation at the* Villa les Feuillantines, 13 avenue de la
Paix.* (The villa is located at the end of a narrow road leading off the
main road from Place des Nations to the Red Cross on the left hand side
- 150 metres from the Place des Nations). Journalists can call +41 22
917 2313, or +41 22 917 2336 or email _cfegli at unog.ch_
<mailto:cfegli at unog.ch> for more information.

** Please note that UN accreditation offices* will be closed on  25
May*. Journalists wishing to get accredited on* 25 May* should proceed
to WHO headquarters.  Please be reminded that the same UN accreditation
procedures will apply. Contact Cecilia Mazuy if there are any questions,
Tel: 022 791 2108, mail: _mazuyc at who.int_ <mailto:mazuyc at who.int>. **

*WHO Media Office*

During the WHA, documents for journalists will be available at the WHO
media documents office on the eighth floor of the Palais des Nations,
Room A 843. WHO media and communications staff will be in rooms A631 and
A633. A full list of WHO staff serving the media, their offices, and
phone numbers are attached to this media advisory.

*Daily Journal of the World Health Assembly/News Releases/Other documents*

Media materials and official documents will be available in the WHO
media documents office and in UN Press Room I. The daily Journal of the
WHA contains the day's agenda. Note that schedules and locations are
subject to change.**

*Media Announcements*

Announcements will be made in the UN Press Room of the Palais des
Nations via the loudspeaker system regarding the issuing of important
documents and news releases, the scheduling of news conferences and
briefings, and other items of interest to correspondents.

*WHO Director-General's Speech*

Dr LEE Jong-wook is scheduled to address the Assembly during the second
plenary meeting on the afternoon of Monday, 22 May. * *

*Advance texts: materials under embargo*

Some texts of speeches, statements and other materials will be issued
under embargo.** Please respect the release date and hour indicated.

*Access to meetings*

Most WHA meetings are open to the media and can be covered from*
specially designated press areas*. Correspondents should consult the
daily Journal of the World Health Assembly for information on whether
meetings are "open" or "closed". To avoid access problems, journalists
must wear their accreditation badges visibly.

Journalists may enter the floor of the Assembly Hall and committee
rooms* only before or after meetings*, but must leave promptly when the
meeting is about to begin.

**Under no circumstances may journalists stay on the floor of the
Assembly Hall when meetings are taking place**

*Photographs*

Information on the WHO Photo Service for media can be obtained from Mr
Chris Black, Tel. +41 22 791 1460 or mobile: +41 79 472 6054.

*Video for Broadcasters*

For information on taping of events in the Assembly Hall (plenary
session), taping of interviews for broadcast TV and the feedpoint to EBU
Geneva through UNTV Geneva, please contact Jean-Marc Glinz, Palais des
Nations, Office E21 at UNTV Studio (Studio TV - Under door 40 in Level
0),  Tel.: +41 22 917 5954 or mobile: +41 79 475 5515, email:
_glinzj at who.int_ <mailto:glinzj at who.int>.

Please note that:

     * WHO will only provide tapes for broadcasters (in Betacam SP PAL)
     * To reserve a live link from EBU Geneva to the final destination,
       please contact EBU planning at +41 22 717 2900 or send email to
       _bookings at eurovision.net_ <mailto:bookings at eurovision.net>.

*General information for photo & television correspondents*

           o WHO requests that photo journalists respect the rules set
             out by Security and Protocol Officers at the Assembly. Flash
             units may be used, but photographers are encouraged to use
             telephoto lenses and avoid grouping around speakers so as
             not to disturb their work.
           o Filming and videotaping of the WHA is limited to news,
             documentary and educational coverage of the meetings.
             Accredited photo and television correspondents may cover all
             "open" meetings of the Assembly and move around freely on
             the floor of the Assembly Hall and the main committee rooms
             before a meeting is called to order, but must leave promptly
             when the meeting is about to begin.
           o Photographers and camera crews are not allowed on the podium
             in any of the meeting rooms, including the Assembly Hall. It
             is important to avoid congestion near the podium, especially
             during debates.
           o Specific media arrangements will be made for the visit of
             His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, and details will be
             communicated closer to the date of the keynote address.


For further information, please call the WHO Media Centre at (+41 22)
791 2222 or contact Fadéla Chaib, Communications Officer, WHO, Geneva,
Tel.: (+41 22) 791 3228, Mobile: (+41) 79 475 5556, Email:
_chaibf at who.int_ <mailto:chaibf at who.int> or Veronica Riemer, WHO,
Geneva, Tel.: (+41 22) 791 4367, Mobile: (+41) 79 445 2280, Email:
_riemerv at who.int_ <mailto:riemerv at who.int>.

All WHO Press Releases, Fact Sheets and Features as well as other
information on this subject can be obtained on Internet on the WHO home
page: _http://www.who.int/_