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World Health Assembly Meeting Sets International Health Priorities

Posted on: Saturday, 6 August 2005, 03:01 CDT

NEW international health regulations aimed at controlling potential outbreaks of diseases such as smallpox and avian influenza, a global immunization strategy and a global partnership focusing on strengthening health information systems were some of the key outcomes of the 58th World Health Assembly.

Meeting in Geneva in late May, the assembly approved a new set of international health regulations to manage public health emergencies. The regulations govern the role of the World Health Organization and individual countries in identifying public health emergencies such as disease outbreaks and responding to them. They replace regulations that were adopted in 1969.

"This is a major step forward for international health," said WHO Director-general Jong Wook Lee, MD, MPH. "These new regulations recognize that diseases do not respect national boundaries. They are urgently needed to help limit the threats to public health."

The new Global Immunization Vision and Strategy adopted on the last day of the assembly's meeting is a framework for planning and implementing national programs from 2006-2015. The three main goals of the strategy are to immunize more people against more diseases, to introduce a range of newly available vaccines and technologies and to provide a number of critical health interventions with immunizations.

WHO estimated that 2.1 million people died in 2002 of vaccine- preventable diseases such as measles, hepatitis B and tetanus. Of the deaths, 1.4 million were children younger than 5.

Part of the strategy includes delivery of key health interventions including nutritional supplements and insecticide- treated nets to protect against mosquitoes. The goal is for each country to reach 80 percent immunization coverage by 2010, even in the poorest areas.

Also during the meeting, a system designed to bring together health and statistical information was launched. The Health Metrics Network is a partnership of countries, multilateral and bilateral development agencies, foundations, global health initiatives and technical experts aiming to increase the availability and use of timely, reliable health information.

The World Health Assembly is made up of health ministers from the 192 countries that are WHO member states. During the 2005 meeting, Lee warned attendees that avian influenza is the "most serious known health threat the world is facing today."

Some other resolutions passed during the World Health Assembly's meeting stated that:

* anti-malaria efforts must be improved to tackle the disease, which is linked to 1 million yearly deaths;

every member state should develop and implement national plans for pandemic influenza preparedness;

A World Health Assembly committee meets in Geneva in May.

* a solution to the current global shortage of influenza vaccines be sought;

* to contain microbiological agents and toxins in laboratories, laboratory safety must be enhanced;

* in the wake of the increasing number of cases of multidrugresistant tuberculosis, sustained financing for TB prevention and control should be a part of every nation's health development plan;

* WHO will develop a cancer prevention and control strategy to help countries address the growing cancer health crisis;

* exclusive breastfeeding for a baby's first six months of life should be supported;

* the newly formed Commission on Social Determinants of Health should consider issues related to active and healthy aging; and

* WHO will examine public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol.

The full list of resolutions and other information about the World Health Assembly are available from .

Copyright American Public Health Association Aug 2005

Source: Nation's Health, The

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