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Director General Opens 61st World Health Assembly
Posted on 19 May 2008 by
“WHO is not alone in the drive to improve health. Leadership is not mandated. It is earned. This is a time of unprecedented global interest and investment in health. But it is also a time of unprecedented challenges.” This was the conclusion of Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, in her opening address to the 61st World Health Assembly.
Dr Chan provided the delegates with a survey of health challenges – from ancient afflictions like leprosy to future human health impacts of climate change.
In the wake of recent disasters, Dr Chan looked ahead to three looming crises:
§ soaring food prices;
§ climate change; and the
§ influenza pandemic.
The health of African people and of women are Dr Chan’s overriding priorities. However, she conceded that: “Progress is least in Africa. Progress for women is hardest.” Mortality of mothers remains high despite huge efforts for more than twenty years.
Progress in moving towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals has been slow. Experience has shown that investment must be made in human and institutional capacity, in health information and delivery systems besides investment in technology and interventions if the root causes of inequity are to be better addressed.
Increasingly worrying is the continuing occurrence of drug-resistant tuberculosis. As it is virtually impossible to treat a widespread outbreak of this type of TB would be devastating.
She referred to the belief that most progress could be made in controlling neglected tropical diseases since there are safe and effective drugs to treat many of them, such as multi-drug therapy (MDT), which is used to treat people affected by leprosy.
Click on the following link to read Dr Chan’s Address to the World Health Assembly in full: http://www.who.int/dg/speeches/2008/20080519/en/print.html
The 61st Session of the World Health Assembly is being held from 19th – 24th May in Geneva, Switzerland. Among the issues of public health concern on the agenda are:
§ pandemic influenza preparedness; sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits;
§ public health, innovation and intellectual property; draft strategy and plan of action; and
§ climate change and health.
Categories: News and Notes