From 19 to 24 May 2014, the Sixty-seventh session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) took place in Geneva. The WHA is the supreme decision-making body of World Health Organization (WHO). It determines the policies of the WHO, appoints its Director-General, supervises the organisation’s financial policies, and reviews and approves the proposed programme budget. The WHA is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. This year, more than 20 resolutions on public health issues of global importance were adopted. In this report, EPHA reviews the outcomes of the WHA, the main discussions and the approved resolutions.
EPHA REPORT – SUMMARY
<img7267|left>
—–
11. WHO Reform
——
11.2 – Improved decision making by governing bodies
Following recommendations from the Secretariat, the WHA has adopted several actions to improve decision making processes in the WHO.
- Webcasting of future public meetings of the Health Assembly, as well as its plenary meetings, will be introduced and will be available to everyone through a WHO website link.
- An electronic voting system for the nomination and appointment of the Director-General will be put in place.
(Photo: United Nation Palace, Geneva © Ingmar Zahorsky Source: Flickr)
11.3 – Framework of engagement with non-State actors
In summary, this outlines the objectives of WHO’s engagement with non-State actors in promoting global health, as articulated in WHO’s General Programme of Work, and to implement the Organization’s policies and recommendations. The EU Permanent Representation of the EU to the UN welcomed the resolution and highlighted the importance of managing the conflict of interest that might occur.
——
12. Communicable diseases
——-
12.1 – Draft global strategy and targets for tuberculosis prevention, care and control after 2015
Member States adopted the resolution on ‘Global strategy and targets for tuberculosis prevention, care and control after 2015’ during the first day of the World Health Assembly, on 19 May 2014. The strategy aims to end the global TB epidemic, with targets to reduce TB deaths by 95% and its incidence by 90%, by 2035. In 2012, 8.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.3 million died from the disease. The strategy sets interim milestones for 2020, 2025 and 2030.
12.2 – Global vaccine action plan
On 21 May 2014, Member States acknowledged the importance of immunisation for public health and expressed their support for the global vaccine action plan. They noted multiple challenges in this area, including low data quality, the high cost of new vaccines, lack of sustained financing of immunisation programmes, low human resource capacity, sub-optimal coverage, lack of access to vaccines by certain populations and the influence of anti-vaccination groups. Delegates called on WHO to demonstrate leadership in this area, particularly in monitoring the global supply of vaccines and disease elimination and eradication targets – notably for measles.
—–
13. Non-communicable diseases
——-
13.1 – Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs)
Member States adopted 9 indicators to measure progress in implementing the WHO Global NCD Action Plan and they endorsed the terms of reference for the Global Coordination Mechanism on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. The Health Assembly also noted the work plan for the Global Coordination Mechanism. The Assembly recommended that the Director-General submit proposed terms of reference for a United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). A United Nations high level meeting will take place in New York on 10–11 July 2014 to review progress on NCDs. Member States asked the WHO Secretariat to report on the follow-up to this meeting at the next Health Assembly.
In its statement on the Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases, the European Union announced that they wanted the WHO to continue to be the global leader on NCD responses, while it was also clear that sustainable results in NCD prevention and control could only be achieved through commitment and action across all sectors, both at the international and national levels. This work requires a secretariat with adequate financial and human resources and needs to take a visionary approach to the challenge of NCDs.
13.2 – Maternal, infant and young child nutrition
At the World Health Assembly, Member States approved a global monitoring framework on maternal, infant and young child nutrition. The WHO Secretariat was asked to develop recommendations for Member States on how to address the inappropriate marketing of complementary foods – foods aimed at infants and young children who are still being breastfed. They also asked the Secretariat to facilitate further development of key indicators, described in this framework, and to convene informal consultations with Member States on tools to manage undue industry influence.
13.3 Disability
Through the adoption of a resolution, Member States approved the WHO global disability action plan 2014–2021: Better health for all people with disability. It aims to improve the health and quality of life of the one billion people with disabilities around the world, by improving their access to health care and through creating new and strengthening existing services and technologies that help them acquire or restore skills and functions. It also aims to improve data and research.
——
14. Promoting health through the life course
——-
14.1 – Monitoring the achievement of the health related Millennium Development Goals
Substantial progress has been made in reducing child and maternal mortality, improving nutrition, and reducing morbidity and mortality due to HIV infection, tuberculosis and malaria. Progress in many countries that have the highest rates of mortality has accelerated in recent years, although there are still failings in some countries and regions. Current trends form a good basis for intensified collective action and expansion of successful approaches to overcome the challenges posed by multiple crises and large inequalities. However, under-nutrition is the underlying cause of death in an estimated 45% of all deaths among children under five years of age.
14.1 – Health in the post-2015 development agenda
Member States approved a resolution on health in the post-2015 development agenda, stressing the need for ongoing engagement in the process of setting the agenda. This includes a need to complete the unfinished work of the health Millennium Development Goals, new born health, as well as an increased focus on non-communicable diseases, mental health and neglected tropical diseases. The resolution also stresses the importance of universal health coverage and the need to strengthen health systems.
Accountability, through regular assessment of progress, can be achieved by strengthening civil registration, determining key indicators and improving health information systems. Member States emphasised the importance of having health at the core of the post-2015 development agenda.
14.2 – New born health: draft action plan
The first ever global plan to end preventable new born deaths and still births, calls for all countries to aim for fewer than 10 newborn deaths per 1000 live births and less than 10 stillbirths per 1000 total births by 2035.
Every year almost 3 million babies die in the first month of life and 2.6 million babies are still born (die in the last 3 months of pregnancy or during child birth). Most of these deaths could be prevented by cost-effective interventions.
The Plan’s goals will require every country to invest in high-quality care before, during and after child birth for every pregnant woman and new born baby and highlights the urgent need to record all births and deaths.
14.3 – Addressing the global challenge of violence, in particular against women and girls
Across the world, each year, nearly 1.4 million people lose their lives due to violence. Women and girls experience specific forms of violence that are often hidden. Globally, 1 in 3 women experience physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life. For every person that dies as a result of violence, many more are injured or suffer from a range of adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
Member States will work to strengthen the role of health systems in addressing violence. The WHO will develop a global action plan to strengthen the role of national health systems within a multi-sectoral response to address interpersonal violence, in particular against women and girls, and against children.
14.4 – Multisectoral action for a life course approach to healthy ageing
Member States referred to a report and decided to request the WHO Director-General to develop a comprehensive global strategy and action plan for healthy ageing, to be considered by the 138th Executive Board and the 69th World Health Assembly in 2016.
14.6 – Contributing to social and economic development: Sustainable action across sectors to improve health and health equity
Following on from the 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion, held in Helsinki last year, this aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learnt last time. Opportunities to implement the recommendations of the Commission on Social Determinants of Health were also identified. A final important point that was also explored is the contribution of health promotion in the renewal and reform of primary health and its achievements since the First International Conference on Health Promotion (Ottawa, 21 November 1986).
<img7266|left>
——
15. Health systems
——-
15.1 – Traditional medicine
The Health Assembly approved a Resolution on Traditional Medicine along with WHO’s traditional medicine strategy 2014–2023. Traditional medicine covers a wide variety of therapies and practices which vary from country to country and region to region. The strategy aims to build the knowledge base for national policies and strengthen quality assurance, safety, proper use and effectiveness of traditional and complementary medicine, through regulation. It also aims to promote universal health coverage by integrating traditional and complementary medicine services into health care service delivery and home care.
( Source of the Photo © WHO)
15.2 – Follow-up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination
The Heath Assembly approved a resolution that significantly advances the quest for innovative and sustainable solutions for financing and coordinating health research and development (R&D), for diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries. The decision provides a clear green light for the implementation of innovative health R&D demonstration projects.
15.3 – Substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/ falsified/counterfeit medical products (SSFFC)
The open-ended working group aims to identify the actions, activities and behaviours that result in (SSFFC), in order to protect public health and promote access to affordable, safe, efficacious, and quality medical products.
15.4 – Access to essential medicines
Following extensive discussions, Members States approved a resolution aimed at helping countries to improve access to essential medicines. Key principles include selecting a limited range of medicines on the basis of the best evidence available, efficient procurement, affordable prices, effective distribution systems, and rational use. The WHO Essential Medicines List was recognised as a valuable tool that enables countries to identify a core set of medicines which need to be available to provide quality medical care.
15.5 – Strengthening of palliative care as a component of integrated treatment throughout the life course
Member States unanimously approved the WHO resolution “Strengthening Palliative Care as a component of integrated treatment within the continuum of care” on Friday 23 May 2014.
15.6 – Regulatory system strengthening
The 67th World Health Assembly adopted the resolutions EB134.R17 (Regulatory system strengthening for medical products) and EB134.R19 (Access to biotherapeutic products and ensuring quality, safety and efficacy). The WHA mandated WHO, in cooperation with national regulators, to continue its important role globally in medicines regulation through establishing necessary norms and standards, supporting regulatory capacity-building and strengthening safety monitoring programmes. Through its Prequalification programme, WHO is requested to continue to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of selected priority medicines, diagnostics and vaccines.
15.7 – Health intervention and technology assessment in support of universal health coverage
Following the adoption of a resolution on HTA at the Health Assembly, WHO will support capacity-building for health technology assessment in countries. It will provide tools and guidance to prioritise health technologies and intensify networking and information exchange among countries to support priority setting. The Health Assembly is invited to note the report and adopt the draft resolution recommended by the Executive Board. This resolution is divided in several parts. The first one describes what a health technology assessment (HTA) is.
The second analyses the use of HTAs among different countries. It highlights that because of the scientific complexities, ever increasing numbers of interventions and technologies to be evaluated and the resource implications, many countries will not be able to build full capacity for health technology assessment themselves. However, it is important that they take step towards achieving that objective by making use of available resources.
The third part describes the use of health technology assessment by the WHO itself. They give several examples on this such as:
- WHO-CHOICE (CHOosing Interventions that are Cost Effective), is a global database on the costs and impact of about 500 different recognised health technologies deployed against conditions that carry the heaviest burden of disease.
- WHO’s Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines uses the principles of health technology assessment in its work developing the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines.
- The Secretariat is working with Member States on identifying best practices for supply, reimbursement and pricing policies for health technologies, and, through the WHO Guideline on Country Pharmaceutical Pricing Policies.
15.8 – Follow-up of the Recife Political Declaration on Human Resources for Health: renewed commitments towards universal health coverage
The 67th World Health Assembly approved a resolution calling for Member States to implement the commitments made in the “Recife Political Declaration on Human Resources for Health: renewed commitments towards universal health coverage”, adopted at the Third Global Forum on Human Resources for Health.
The Recife Declaration recognises the centrality of human resources for health in the drive towards universal health coverage. It commits governments to creating the conditions for the inclusive development of a shared vision with other stakeholders and reaffirms the role of the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel as a guide for action to strengthen the health workforce and health systems.
The WHA resolution also requests the WHO Director-General to develop a global strategy on human resources for health, for consideration by Member States at the 69th session of the World Health Assembly in 2016.
——
16. Preparedness, surveillance and response
——
16.1 – Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)
The International Health Regulations (IHR) are an international legal instrument that is binding on 196 countries across the globe, including all the Member States of WHO. Their aim is to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks that have the potential to cross borders and threaten people worldwide. They were adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2005 and entered into force on 15 June 2007.
The Health Assembly adopted revised provisions on yellow fever vaccination or revaccination under the International Health Regulations (2005). These include extending the validity of a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever from 10 years to the extent of the life of the vaccinated person. The revised provisions are based on the recommendations of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunisation following its scientific review and analysis of evidence
16.5 – Antimicrobial drug resistance
Member States adopted resolution EB134.R13 which addresses anti-microbial drug resistance. It urges governments to strengthen national action and international collaboration. This requires sharing information on the extent of resistance and the use of antibiotics in humans and animals. It also involves improving awareness among health providers and the public of the threat posed by resistance, the need for responsible use of antibiotics, and the importance of good hand hygiene and other measures to prevent infections.
The resolution urges Member States to strengthen drug management systems, to support research to extend the lifespan of existing drugs, and to encourage the development of new diagnostics and treatment options.
—–
17. Progress reports
—–
Communicable diseases
- A. Progress Report on Global health sector strategy on HIV/AIDS, 2011–2015 (resolution WHA64.14)
Non-communicable diseases
- C. Child injury prevention (resolution WHA64.27)
Promoting health through the life course
- D. Reproductive Health: strategy to accelerate progress towards the attainment of international development goals and targets (resolution WHA57.12)
- E. Female genital mutilation (resolution WHA61.16)
- F. Youth and health risks (resolution WHA64.28)
Health systems
- I. Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property (resolution WHA61.21)
- L. WHO strategy on research for health
– FULL EPHA Report] [on the sixty-seventh World Health Assembly (WHA) (pdf)
——————–
Related EPHA articles
———————-
- [->6047]
- [->6012]
- [->6006]
- [->5999]
- [->5392]
- [->6003]
- [->5994]
- [->5986]
- [->5818]
- [->5810]
