World Health Assembly Sets New Policies

The World Health Assembly—-the chief governing body of the World Health Organization (WHO)—-made a series of policy decisions that address some of the world's major challenges in public health during its annual meeting in Geneva in May.

The assembly, which brings together ministers of health and other health leaders from WHO Member States throughout the world, announced a new Global Immunization Strategy, approved a new set of International Health Regulations, increased WHO's budget for 2006–07 by 4 percent, reviewed progress made in scaling up treatment and care for HIV/AIDS, and discussed smallpox vaccine reserves and research on the smallpox virus.

Ministers of health from WHO member countries called for a series of measures to improve global public health. The World Health Assembly, WHO's lead governing body, meets annually in Geneva. © WHO

The assembly also assessed progress in polio eradication and what needs to be done to interrupt the final chains of wild poliovirus transmission worldwide by the end of this year. (The Americas have been polio-free since 1994.)

In a special briefing session by WHO influenza experts, delegates to the meeting heard detailed updates on the avian influenza outbreaks in Asia and assessments of their potential for sparking a human flu pandemic (see also "PAHO/WHO Offer Advice on Pandemic Plans").

Vaccine strategy

Among the key outcomes of this year's meeting was the new Global Immunization Strategy, designed to fight vaccine-preventable diseases, which kill more than 2 million people, mostly children, every year. Designed by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the new strategy sets the goal of immunizing more people against more diseases, introduces a range of newly available vaccines and technologies, and combines a number of critical health interventions with immunization, such as insecticide-treated nets and vitamin A supplements.

"We will take immunization to new heights, building on solid achievements of the past, and will bring good health to many more," said LEE Jong-wook, director-general of WHO. He noted that vaccination has been one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions in history, but that immunization is far from universal in many countries.

Supporters of the strategy noted that over the next 10 years, the cost of immunization is expected to rise substantially as countries include newer and more expensive vaccines in their immunization programs. Although these vaccines are still cost-effective, low-income countries in particular will have difficulty acquiring and delivering them. Strategic partnerships with industry and new approaches to health financing will be critical to ensuring equitable access to these vaccines.

Calls for action

The assembly passed a number of resolutions calling for new action in key health areas.

Recognizing that much of the illness, injuries, and deaths that occur during crises and disasters are preventable, the assembly adopted a resolution on health action in crises and disasters, which calls on WHO to provide early warning of disease outbreaks, improve access to clean water and sanitation, and increase the availability of care for the physical and mental health of disaster survivors. It also urges Member States to formulate disaster preparedness plans and pay more attention to gender-based violence as an increasing concern in these situations.

The assembly also called on each of WHO's Member States to develop and implement national plans for pandemic influenza preparedness and response that focus on limiting the health impact and economic and social disruption. The health leaders said WHO Director-General LEE should seek a solution to the current global shortage of influenza vaccines. In the special briefing for participants, LEE called avian influenza "the most serious known health threat the world is facing today."

On a related matter, the assembly noted that the containment of microbiological agents in laboratories is critical to preventing outbreaks of diseases such as SARS, and called for new measures to enhance laboratory safety.

Other actions called for included:

• WHO should intensify its collaboration with Member States to reach internationally agreed malaria control goals, and should consider making bulk purchases of insecticide-treated nets and antimalarial medicines.
• WHO member countries should set up collaboration between tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programs and integrate the prevention and control of tuberculosis in mainstream health development plans.

For the Millennium Development Goals:

• Developed countries should increase official development aid to 0.7 percent of gross national product.
• African countries should fulfill their commitment to allocate 15 percent of their national budgets to health.
• Member States should increase resources and actions toward universal access to reproductive health care and coverage of maternal, newborn, and child health interventions.
• WHO should strengthen its program on human resources for health.

Development of human resources for health will be the theme of the 2006 World Health Report and World Health Day 2006. It will also be a key area of work in WHO's General Program of Work 2006 – 2015. Other areas dealt with in the assembly's discussions and resolutions included the eradication of iodine deficiency, the rational use of medicines to slow the growth of antimicrobial resistance, public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol, sustainable health financing and the move toward universal health coverage, the need for increased support of health research, the United Nations' reform process, and the need for coordination of WHO activities with those of other organizations of the U.N. system and with other actors working to improve health outcomes.