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In a speech today Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, provided a critical assessment on her agency’s need to make changes in how it operates.
Citing budget shortfalls, a global recession, increased demands upon her organization, the duplication of efforts between various public and private agencies around the world, and an ever-widening array of public health needs, Chan called for reforms in how the WHO operates.
“We are not functioning at the level of top performance that is increasingly needed, and expected,” Chan said to the executive board who are reviewing an 4.5 Billion dollar budget request for 2010-2011.
She went on to say, “From the review of events I have just provided, I think we can conclude that WHO is effective, sometimes strikingly so, in some areas. But this is not the case in all the areas covered by our vast programme of work.
WHO needs to change at the administrative, budgetary, and programmatic levels. We do not need to change the Constitution, but we do need to undergo some far-reaching reforms.”
After listing a number of recent public health achievements, Chan spoke of many of the areas that are, and are likely to continue to be, a public health challenge.
A few excerpts include:
“Treated bednets need to be replaced. Antiretroviral therapy for AIDS is a lifeline, for a life time. Case-finding and treatment for TB are a constant undertaking that needs to intensify. Every new generation of babies must be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Last year, we launched an aggressive new strategy for polio eradication. Does the international community have the stamina, and the resources, to reach the milestones? The map of areas where guinea worm disease is endemic has shrunk to its smallest size ever. Will we finish this job as well?”
* * * * * *
“The financial crisis was a jolt. Climate change looms. Last year, records for extreme weather events were broken a record number of times. The trend continues this year, most notably with the flood crises in Australia, Brazil, and Sri Lanka.”
* * * * * *
“Last year, the response capacity of the international community was stretched to its limits by two mega-disasters: the January earthquake in Haiti and the August floods in Pakistan. Support will be needed for some time to come.”
Chan called for the board, and the member states, to discuss and devise ways for the WHO to better use their limited resources in ways that would have the maximum impact on public health.
You can read her entire speech at the link below:
WHO Director-General calls for change
Dr Margaret Chan
Director-General of the World Health OrganizationReport by the Director-General to the Executive Board at its 128th session
Geneva, Switzerland
17 January 2011
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