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The World Health Organization convenes their 63rd World Health Assembly this week, with a broad agenda that includes the implementation of the International Health Regulations adopted in 2005, Pandemic Influenza preparedness and the sharing of viruses, and strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
NEWS
DOCUMENTATION
World Health Assembly Journal, Number 1, 17 May 2010
Provisional agenda [pdf 33kb]
Medium-Term Strategic Plan 2008-2013 Amended (draft), including the proposed Programme Budget 2010-2011
Complete documentation
TOPICS
Alcohol
International Health Regulations
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
Pharmaceutical products
Some of the initiatives of the World Health Organization advance seemingly at a glacial pace.
To move forward, a consensus must be reached by more than 190 member states. The WHO must work diplomatically with sovereign nations, and that can oft times entail lengthy negotiations.
One of the ongoing sticking points in the battle against bird flu has been the refusal of Indonesia to release H5N1 virus samples without certain guarantees of access to inexpensive vaccine. Negotiations have been ongoing now for about three years.
You’ll find a PDF file addressing those concerns entitled:
Pandemic influenza preparedness:
Sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits
Despite reported progress on many of the issues involved, a final resolution has remained elusive.
The implementation of the International Health Regulations, adopted in 2005, is still underway. The process, which began on June 15, 2007, is described this way:
Countries that are States Parties to the Regulations have two years to assess their capacity and develop national action plans followed by three years to meet the requirements of the Regulations regarding their national surveillance and response systems as well as the requirements at designated airports, ports and certain ground crossings (a two-year extension may be obtained, and, in exceptional circumstances, an additional extension could be granted, not exceeding two years).
Areas of work for IHR implementation
Meeting the requirements in the IHR (2005) is a challenge that requires time, commitment and the willingness to change. This paper has been developed to guide WHO Member States and other countries that are parties to the Regulations in the implementation of the obligations contained in them. Section 4 sets out seven areas of work to assist countries with the challenges inherent in meeting the new obligations. Each area of work has a specific goal that contributes to the over-arching goal of international public health security, and each area of work will be the subject of one or more detailed implementation plans.
The seven areas of work for IHR (2005) implementation:
- Foster global partnerships
- Strengthen national disease prevention, surveillance, control and response systems
- Strengthen public health security in travel and transport
- Strengthen WHO global alert and response systems
- Strengthen the management of specific risks
- Sustain rights, obligations and procedures
- Conduct studies and monitor progress
We’ll no doubt be seeing a number of press releases and news stories coming out of these meetings over the next few days. The WHO’s webpage on this assembly promises ongoing coverage.
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