WHO: Report on the 126th Session of the World Health

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 GENEVA 000138 SIPDIS DEPT FOR IO/HS, PRM AND OES PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TBIO WHO SUBJECT: WHO: Report on the 126th Session of the World Health Organization Executive Board ¶1. Summary. The 126th Session of the Executive Board (EB) of the World Health Organization (WHO) met from January 18-23, 2010, in Geneva. This cable reports on the significant outcomes from the Board, including key resolutions forwarded for adoption at the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA)in May. Discussions at the EB were politicized on some topics, especially in interventions from Brazil and India, who sought to advance an IP and trade agenda whenever possible. (COMMENT: Both Brazil and India were primarily represented by officials from Foreign Ministries and Geneva Missions rather than Health Ministries - a trend we are also seeing in other venues in Geneva. END COMMENT.) At Brazil's insistence and despite objections from a number of Member States, the EB agreed to add a new item on leprosy to its agenda. However, in the face of opposition to the proposed resolution's intent to change global leprosy elimination goals, Brazil then had to withdraw its resolution. The Board: - took action on a Global Strategy on the Harmful Use of Alcohol; recommendations on the marketing of food to children; and a draft Code of Practice on international recruitment of health personnel; - discussed smallpox eradication, hearing largely familiar positions on the issue of destruction of smallpox virus stocks, but took no action pending the results of a review of on-going and needed research due in 2011; - approved long-sought U.S. revisions to WHO guidelines on the review of psychoactive substances; - appointed former State/IO official John Fox as part of a 5-member Independent Expert Oversight Advisory Committee; - devoted part of an afternoon to a discussion of the WHO/PAHO response to the earthquake in Haiti; - and appointed Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab (Hungary) as WHO Regional Director for Europe and reappointed Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo (Angola) as Regional Director for Africa. As an Observer delegation, the U.S. played a constructive role during the course of the Board and actively participated in negotiating groups to finalize the alcohol strategy and several resolutions. The U.S. delegation included officials from U.S. Mission Geneva and State (IO and OES). End Summary. �00A; ¶2. The WHO Director-General, Dr. Margaret Chan, half-way through her five-year term, was very active throughout the EB, seeking Board guidance, actively promoting consensus, and emphasizing WHO core business as a technical health organization. Her statement to the Board addressed the situation in Haiti and the WHO response, progress on specific health goals, and a chronology of WHO actions in response to the H1N1 pandemic and its place as the first major test of the revised International Health Regulations. The Director-General also discussed an informal consultation of representatives of some thirty Member States she had convened on the future financing of WHO and its comparative advantages in the crowded global public health landscape. GENEVA 00000138 002 OF 006 KEY OUTCOMES -------------- ¶3. UPDATE ON PANDEMIC-INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS: SHARING OF INFLUENZA VIRUSES AND ACCESS TO VACCINES AND OTHER BENEFITS. The discussion focused on the all-too-familiar process related to finishing the outstanding issues (including intellectual property, mandatory vs. voluntary benefits, a Standard Materials Transfer Agreement) related to the Intergovernmental meeting (IGM) on pandemic influenza preparedness, whose mandate expired at the 2009 WHA. A number of countries expressed support for reaching consensus by the upcoming WHA, but cautioned against going over well-trodden ground when countries already know each other's redlines. The Secretariat was quite open that it had no additional resources to provide to the effort. The U.S. and like-minded countries worked informally to propose Board support for informal consultations among Member States and an open-ended working group during the WHA to finalize the outstanding issues. After discussions during the course of the EB, however, certain countries led by Indonesia, Brazil and India pressed hard for another IGM, and it was agreed to hold an open-ended Working Group May 10-12, 2010, prior to the WHA. Further consideration of this issue at the WHA will depend on the outcome of that meeting. ¶4. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS (IHR) AND THE H1N1 EXPERIENCE. The Director-General took on recent critics of the WHO response to the H1N1 pandemic, or "false pandemic" as it had been called. She said she would not be intimidated by critics, but was doing what was necessary to ensure the most effective response based on the best evidence. The Director-General agreed to convene the IHR Review Committee to examine the experience gained in the global response in order to inform the review of the functioning of the IHRs, to help assess and, where appropriate, to modify the ongoing response, and to strengthen preparedness for future pandemics. The DG will provide an interim report to the WHA in May and a final report to the WHA in 2011. The DG also noted that only 56 Member States had nominated experts to the IHR Roster of Experts (although many more have been added by the DG),and this was not enough. The DG issued a draft plan for the review that can be found at: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/EB126/ B126_ID3-en.pdf ¶5. HAITI EARTHQUAKE. The Permanent Representative of Haiti in Geneva attended a special session of the Board devoted to the Haiti earthquake, the WHO/PAHO response, and the commitment of countries to assist Haiti, both in short-term emergency rescue and relief efforts and in longer-term response and recovery. USDel expressed U.S. commitment to Haiti, both in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, noting the $100 million emergency commitment from President Obama, and long-term reconstruction and recovery. ¶6. IP AND HEALTH: REPORT OF THE EXPERT WORKING GROUP ON RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCING. The Secretariat updated the Board on WHO activities in relation to mainstreaming implementation of the Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Intellectual Property, Innovation and Public Health (GSPA),including trends in technology transfer and north-south and south-south cooperation, barriers to access, and capacity problems. The Secretariat noted that the GSPA includes 80 actions to be led by Member States and 49 to be led by WHO. WHO has working agreements in place with WTO and WIPO, and GENEVA 00000138 003 OF 006 the agencies have met at head-of-agency level. Responding to criticisms about the Expert Working Group (EWG) report and the process it followed, including a critical article in the Lancet, the EWG Chairman, Dr. George Alleyne (Director Emeritus of PAHO), reviewed the group's mandate, which he had interpreted as not focused on IP but on innovative financing. He "rejected completely" the notion that pharmaceutical companies had influenced the results. The DG noted WHO had done "breakneck" work on the GSPA due to its importance to Member States. She also noted regional participation and integration is important. She agreed to investigate the alleged leak of the report to the pharmaceutical industry trade association and promised to take appropriate action. Because the full report of the EWG was issued only at the opening of the EB, Board members called for a further discussion of the report's recommendations prior to the WHA, which was set for May ¶13. ¶7. MONITORING THE HEALTH-RELATED MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS. As agreed previously, the Board and WHA are addressing the MDGs annually through the goal year of 2015. USDel cosponsored a resolution proposed by EU countries urging Member States to sustain and strengthen commitments to achieve the MDGs. Delegations spoke directly to the challenges of reaching the MDGs, particularly the lack of progress on reducing maternal and child mortality. It was noted Africa was unlikely to achieve the health-related MDGs, and only six countries in the region were making real progress, depending on the goal. At the proposal of the UK, a new agenda item linked to MDG 4 was also added on childhood pneumonia. The EB adopted a resolution focused on efforts to reduce childhood pneumonia, which causes more than 1.8 million preventable deaths each year in children under five, as a means to achieving the MDG on reducing child mortality. ¶8. CODE OF PRACTICE ON INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT OF HEALTH PERSONNEL. The EB agreed to forward the draft Code of Practice to the WHA, although most EB delegations had some concern or reservation about parts of the text and sought changes, some more substantive than others. (Only Brazil was prepared to approve the text as it currently stands.) A proposal from Canada, supported by a number of delegations, including USDel, to hold further web-based consultations between now and May with the aim of reaching final consensus on a text by the time of the WHA was objected to by a number of developing countries. African countries, seeking some form of compensation mechanism not now included in the text, did not want further consideration of the text prior to the WHA. In the end, it was agreed that interested Member States could submit any text changes they seek to the Secretariat, which will compile them into a "discussion paper." That paper will be circulated in advance of the WHA and would, in parallel with the current draft text, be the basis for negotiations at the WHA. The U.S. submitted comments/textual proposals on January 29, 2010. ¶9. INFANT AND YOUNG CHILD NUTRITION. USDel, giving high priority to this item, supported WHO's normative work on improving global nutrition and called for specific actions to strengthen prevention programs that would have a positive impact on child survival and maternal health. USDel urged WHO to strengthen its overall strategy to improve infant and young child nutrition. Many countries focused their comments on the lack of enforcement of, or alleged violations by the infant formula companies of, the Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. The U.S. supported a Peruvian-drafted resolution urging Member States to strengthen implementation of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding and called upon the food industry to observe the marketing code. GENEVA 00000138 004 OF 006 ¶10. FOOD SAFETY. The EB supported a Canadian resolution on "Advancing food safety initiatives." The resolution calls for strengthening WHO's food safety work in relation to: a) building WHO's food safety network (INFOSAN) by adding food safety data-generation and data-sharing to its portfolio, b) monitoring and reporting on the burden of foodborne and zoonotic diseases, c) advancing the provision and sharing of international scientific advice, and d) focusing on the public health aspects of zoonotic diseases originating at the human-animal interface. It calls for WHO to strengthen a coherent, integrated work-plan covering science, burden estimation, food safety management and communication and general coordination of zoonoses prevention, in collaboration with FAO and the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). Canada helpfully included in the resolution U.S. proposals related to the Codex Alimentarious Commission and an international initiative to strengthen laboratory partners in support of foodborne disease surveillance. ¶11. PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES. The EB forwarded to the WHA draft recommendations on the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children. Delegations cautioned WHO to tighten the language in the recommendations and close some of the loopholes, which the DG agreed to do. USDel highlighted the need to tackle the growing obesity epidemic, an effort that required the commitment of all stakeholders. ¶12. HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL. The EB considered and forwarded to the WHA an amended draft Global Strategy on the Harmful Use of Alcohol, a subject that has been pending at WHO governing bodies for two years. Although the Secretariat draft had been improved through a process of Member State consultations, an EB drafting group, co-chaired by Sweden and Cuba, made further revisions that garnered wide support. ¶13. VIRAL HEPATITIS. Brazil proposed a resolution that included designating a World Hepatitis Day. Reflecting the differing health priorities, there was significant push back, with African countries and most developed countries opposing the establishment of such a day. The compromise was to designate July 28 as World Hepatitis Day but to allow countries to promote the celebration on a day of their own choosing. ¶14. SMALLPOX ERADICATION. Delegations expressed familiar positions, except for the statement from the African group. Speaking for that group, Malawi referred to research progress and expressed the belief that smallpox viruses exist in other than the authorized repositories. Malawi did not mention setting a destruction date. Somalia (for Eastern Mediterranean countries) reviewed the long retention of the smallpox virus, noting research was always to be outcome-oriented and time-limited and called for setting a date for destruction as soon as possible. India noted its national position to support destruction of the virus stocks at the earliest time possible. France expressed caution about long-term experimentation on the virus, supported enhanced research transparency, and, referring to a proposed diagnostic network through regional laboratories, asked if that would require sharing the virus beyond the two official repositories. Iran reiterated the history and the annual discussion, and said the EB/WHA should make a "bold decision" to destroy the virus stocks. The Secretariat noted the support from Member States for WHO's regulatory processes related to smallpox and the major report going to the WHA in 2011 and reassured France that the diagnostic network does not involve use of or sharing of the virus beyond the two repositories. Brazil noted the 30 years since eradication of GENEVA 00000138 005 OF 006 smallpox and asked how WHO planned to mark the 30th anniversary. Dr. Chan said WHO was planning to commemorate the anniversary on the first day of the WHA, including installation of a commemorative statue on the WHO grounds. NOTE: Two members of the Russian delegation, from the Center for Virology and Biotechnology - VECTOR, met with USDel on the margins of the EB to express concern about the proposed diagnostic laboratory network. USDel has conveyed those concerns to HHS/CDC for follow-up. END NOTE. ¶15. GUIDELINES FOR WHO REVIEW OF PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCES FOR INTERNATIONAL CONTROL. The EB approved the revised Guidelines with U.S.-proposed changes. USDel coordinated with EB Members and made the proposals as an Observer delegation. The several U.S. changes were sponsored by the Board Member from Bahamas, with no other comment. With other minor changes the EB adopted the Guidelines, which require no further approval. The revised guidelines give WHO an improved review process for its Expert Committee on Drug Dependence and clearer procedures with respect to other UN bodies with drug scheduling responsibilities - the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). ¶16. POLIO ERADICATION. DG Chan said polio is one of the most important issues for WHO, emphasizing that the last mile is the longest mile. Polio Coordinator Bruce Aylward reviewed the results of an independent evaluation of major barriers to interrupting poliovirus transmission, and referred to a new plan and strategy for the next three years to be presented to the WHA in May. The Chair of the Evaluation team, Dr. Mohammed (Health Minister of Oman and EB Member) went over details of the evaluation in the endemic countries. He stated that India has a thorough, well-managed polio eradication team. Noting some gaps in protection of children and mobile populations, he was optimistic that India is on track. The situation in Nigeria was getting better, he said, where State and local governments have committed to the task with the key element of success in local government networks. Strengthening EPI in general is important for post-eradication areas. Lastly, for Pakistan-Afghanistan (treated as one epidemiologically),the security issues continued to be key. ¶17. The Africa group emphasized routine, synchronized prevention campaigns. India noted it is on the verge of success, giving priority to identification and mapping activities. Canada called for improving countries' accountability, and strengthening dialogue with donors in a way that does not compromise the work. UK called for nuanced and country-led strategies, including addressing the political/security challenges in the polio affected states, and need for linkages with other health work where appropriate. UK also noted the need to "revisit the original assumptions and update the economic justification for eradication." Nigeria said it is sustaining the momentum toward total eradication. The U.S. emphasized the need to examine and adjust end-game strategies and finish the job on polio as a positive example for eliminating other threats to global public health. Lastly, the OIC Observer delegation emphasized its cooperation on polio with Member States and ties with religious and other communities. OIC also mentioned that President Obama had addressed polio in his Cairo speech and OIC was working with the U.S. on polio eradication. ¶18. OTHER RESOLUTIONS. The EB adopted and forwarded to the WHA resolutions on birth defects; improvement of health through safe and environmentally sound waste management; improvement of health through sound management of obsolete pesticides and chemicals; and availability, safety and quality of blood products. GENEVA 00000138 006 OF 006 ¶19. DATES OF THE NEXT WHA AND EB. The Board decided the 63rd World Health Assembly would meet 17-21 May, 2010, followed by the 127th session of the Executive Board on May 22. GRIFFITHS