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<DIV><B>From:</B> <A title=twnet@po.jaring.my
href="mailto:twnet@po.jaring.my">Third World Network</A> </DIV>
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June 2006<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">An
‘exceptional’ World Health Assembly<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">This
year’s World Health Assembly began and closed rather dramatically. The article
below describes the highlights of the meeting and the decisions made on various
health issues which include the selection of the next WHO Director General, a
global strategy on <SPAN class=SpellE>IPRs</SPAN> and health research, the
medical brain drain and the prevention of <SPAN class=SpellE>STIs</SPAN>. It is
reproduced <FONT color=black><SPAN style="COLOR: black">with permission from the
South-North Development Monitor (SUNS) # 6036, 30 May 2006.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN></FONT></SPAN></FONT></B></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">An "exceptional" Health Assembly ends with
several decisions</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Martin <SPAN class=SpellE>Khor</SPAN>,
<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Geneva</st1:place></st1:City>, 29 May
2006</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The World Health Assembly closed on
Saturday (27 May) after adopting several decisions on a range of health issues.
The most important of these was a resolution establishing a working group to
produce a global strategy and action plan on intellectual property, health
research and public health.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The WHA also passed a resolution urging
giving the WHO secretariat the mandate to assist governments to take on board
health concerns in trade policies and trade agreements.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The most controversial issue related to
smallpox, with many developing countries demanding a new date for the
destruction of remaining stocks of the virus, now held in the
<st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region> and
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Both countries refused, with
the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> being particularly insistent, and
refusing a compromise involving no mention of a destruction date but tighter WHA
oversight of the research conducted on smallpox.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Despite several meetings in a working
group, no conclusion was possible, and the draft resolution on smallpox was sent
on to the <SPAN class=SpellE><SPAN class=GramE>WHO's</SPAN></SPAN> Executive
Board to discuss next January.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The 59th session started in solemn mood on
22 May morning with the shocking news that the <SPAN class=SpellE>WHO's</SPAN>
Director General Dr. Lee <SPAN class=SpellE>Jong</SPAN> <SPAN
class=SpellE>Wook</SPAN> had passed away just two hours earlier, following
surgery two days earlier to remove a blood clot on his brain.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The WHA President, the health minister of
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">Mozambique</st1:country-region></st1:place> Prof. Paulo <SPAN
class=SpellE>Ivo</SPAN> <SPAN class=SpellE>Garrido</SPAN>, remarked at the
closing ceremony that this assembly had been "truly exceptional", with the
demise and funeral of the DG, and at the same time the nomination of his
successor had created "uncertainty and tension." Despite this, the Assembly
proceeded well, and the priority now is to choose the new DG.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The tension he referred to was over the
controversial announcement appointing one of the WHO assistant
directors-general, Dr Anders Nordstrom, to the post of Acting DG, on the basis
of a letter that Dr Lee had written. This controversy dogged the Assembly for
two days until a special session of the Executive Board confirmed the
appointment.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Board, which began its regular meeting
on Monday (29 May), is now discussing an accelerated procedure for selecting the
next Director General. There are three possible options, with the DG in place
either in October, next January or next May.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Under option 1, member states can nominate
candidates starting from 1 June; the Executive Board will meet in special
session on 9-11 October to choose the new DG; and a special session of the WHA
will be held on 12 October to make the appointment.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Under option 2, nominations will be made
from 1 June, but the Board will meet at its next regular session on 22-30
January to choose the DG and a special WHA session on 31 January will make the
appointment.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In option 3, which follows the regular
procedure, the Board will make a decision in its January meeting and the regular
WHA session in May 2007 will make the appointment.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As the Assembly started on 22 May, there
were news reports that a case of human-to-human transmission of avian flu could
have recently taken place when six family members died in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indonesia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. WHO
officials were cautious, saying that a human-to-human transmission could not be
confirmed, but also that it could not be ruled out.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Experts are worried that a flu pandemic can
emerge when the flu virus evolves into a strain that can be passed on among
people. So far victims get the disease from contact with
poultry.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Issues discussed on avian flu during the
week included the degree of preparedness by countries to deal with a pandemic,
the lack <SPAN class=GramE>of <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>availability</SPAN> of vaccines, whether
the need for stockpiling of drugs has been <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>exaggerated and whether the recommended
medicine to treat the virus really works.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">A significant WHA decision was an agreement
to voluntarily implement parts of the International Health Regulations
immediately, in particular those which relate to avian influenza and to a
potential pandemic of human influenza.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The provisions identified for early
voluntary compliance include those relating to rapid and transparent
notification, support to countries that request it in investigating and
controlling outbreaks, and providing essential information including
recommendations for control measures. The IHR (2005) were formally adopted at
the WHA in 2005 and are to go into effect in 2007.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">A major concern running through the
Assembly was the effect of patents on the cost of medicines. In particular, many
governments expressed opposition to provisions in bilateral trade agreements
that remove their ability to make cheaper generic drugs available through
compulsory licensing and through the use of safety data provided by the
companies producing branded drugs.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">At the sidelines of the WHA, ten South
American health ministers issued a declaration on intellectual property
committing themselves to avoid "TRIPS-plus" provisions in bilateral and regional
trade agreements, to avoid broadening the scope of patentability and the
extension of patentable areas, to also avoid a linkage being formed between
patents and drug marketing approval, and to facilitate the use of compulsory
licensing.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The Assembly's biggest decision was to set
up an inter-governmental working group to draw up a global strategy and plan of
action to follow up on the recommendations made by a WHO commission on
intellectual property and health, whose report was launched in
April.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The resolution establishing the working
group noted that the patent system did not meet the need to develop new
medicines to fight diseases that especially affect developing countries. The
group will propose how to ensure an enhanced and sustainable basis for health
research and development relevant to diseases that affect developing
countries.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">At present, most of the research is on
medicines that sell in developed countries, while little funds go towards
developing new vaccines, diagnostic tools and medicines for diseases such as
AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis that kill millions in the developing
world.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The new working group is tasked with
proposing an action plan to correct this situation, including by suggesting how
to handle the problem of the effects of patents on the prices and availability
of health products.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Another big issue was what to do with the
remaining stocks of smallpox virus which now reside in two <SPAN
class=SpellE>centres</SPAN> in the <st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region> under WHO supervision. Years
ago, when smallpox was eliminated, the World Health Assembly authorized the two
<SPAN class=SpellE>centres</SPAN> to maintain stocks of the dangerous virus with
the aim of destroying them within a few years.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">However, despite many deadlines for
destruction of the stocks, they remain and recently the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region> proposed to
expand research using the virus, including genetic engineering of the smallpox
virus. This had raised safety concerns among many governments.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">At the WHA, many countries (led by the
Africa group) asked for a new deadline of June 2010 to destroy the stocks but
this was refused by the <st1:country-region w:st="on">US</st1:country-region>
and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Russia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. Proposals to limit and
control the research were also not acceptable to the <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">US</st1:place></st1:country-region>.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As a result, the WHA could not reach
agreement on how to deal with this subject, and transferred it to the <SPAN
class=SpellE>WHO's</SPAN> Executive Board for further
discussion.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Many developing countries, especially from
<st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place>, highlighted the medical brain drain,
with their doctors and nurses migrating to rich countries, after receiving
expensive education, heavily subsidized by the governments of the "source
countries." This has depleted the medical workforce in developing countries,
placing heavier burdens on the over-worked personnel who remain and stressing
the whole health system.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">An often heated debate took place at the
Assembly, with some countries raising the issue of compensation from the
countries receiving the medical personnel, and for ethical recruitment
policies.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In the end, a mild resolution was adopted,
on "scaling up of health workforce production", urging governments to consider
having mechanisms to mitigate the adverse impact on developing countries of the
loss of health personnel through migration.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Such mechanisms could include means for the
receiving countries to support the strengthening of health systems, in
particular human resources development, in the countries of origin. Donors and
institutions are also encouraged to fund health training institutes in
developing countries.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The intention, as made clear during the
discussions, was for the rich countries to help fund medical education in
developing countries so that more doctors and nurses can be trained, that could
serve the needs of the home countries as well as supply personnel for other
countries.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This is however seen by many (including an
NGO that spoke at the WHA) as an inadequate solution, for it might only increase
the number of doctors and nurses to be trained in poorer countries but who would
eventually migrate to rich countries.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">But more direct measures, such as
disallowing out-migration of health personnel, or asking for compensation to the
"source countries" that have trained the personnel at high cost, are considered
too "sensitive."</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">A keynote speech was given by Prince
Charles of the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">UK</st1:place></st1:country-region>, on the importance of integrated
health, which includes an integrated approach to nutrition, medicine,
agriculture, the environment and social policies.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Other decisions of the Assembly
included:</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- To support polio eradication, the
Assembly adopted a resolution calling for increased focus on interrupting
transmission in polio endemic areas, adherence to rapid response standards in
case of importation of poliovirus and technical advice on planning for a
post-eradication world.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- On HIV/AIDS, the WHA passed a resolution
calling on Member States to ensure that special attention <SPAN
class=GramE>be</SPAN> given to integrating nutrition into all HIV/AIDS policies
and <SPAN class=SpellE>programmes</SPAN>.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- A resolution on infant and young child
nutrition urged governments to renew their commitment to implementation of the
International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and to revitalize the
Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, and requests the Director-General to mobilize
technical support in the implementation and independent monitoring of the
Code.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- A global strategy for the prevention and
control of sexually transmitted infections (<SPAN class=SpellE>STIs</SPAN>) was
adopted, which calls for STI <SPAN class=SpellE>programmes</SPAN> to be linked
with other services for family planning, maternal health, and HIV prevention and
care. The WHA reinforced the importance of comprehensive interventions,
particularly for young people, which provide full information, life-skills,
education and care for the prevention and management of <SPAN
class=SpellE>STIs</SPAN>.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- The WHA expressed concern at the
deterioration of the economic and health conditions as well as the humanitarian
crises resulting in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Assembly adopted a
resolution (by vote of 57 for, 9 against and 61 abstentions) requesting the WHO
to organize a one-day emergency meeting to address this crisis, and to continue
support to the Palestinian health services.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- A new alliance to address the worldwide
shortage of nurses, doctors, midwives and other health workers was launched on
25 May. The Global Health Workforce Alliance aims to improve working conditions,
address issues of migration, and start a <SPAN class=SpellE>programme</SPAN> to
train more health workers in countries where there are
shortages.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- Countries expressed their concern that
emergency preparedness in many countries is weak, and may not be able to cope
with large-scale disasters. The WHA passed a resolution on emergency
preparedness and response, requesting countries to further strengthen national
emergency mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery <SPAN
class=SpellE>programmes</SPAN>.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- The WHA also set a goal to eliminate
avoidable blindness by 2020 and to halt and reverse the projected doubling of
avoidable visual impairment in the world.</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">-- The Assembly referred to The Global
Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (DPAS) which was endorsed at the
WHA in 2004, the aim being to address unhealthy diet and physical inactivity,
two of the major risk factors responsible for the growing burden of chronic
diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. A report notes
that while some progress has been made to implement DPAS recommendations, the
results are not universal. WHO will be developing additional <SPAN
class=GramE>recommendations.</SPAN> </SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>