WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

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UNITED NATIONS MATIONS UNIES

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

THIRD WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PROGRAMh

SEVENTH REPORT

ORGANISATION MONDIALE DE LA SANTg

A3 /a.20

25 May 1950

ORIGINAL: ENGLISH

At its twenty -first, twenty- second, twenty -third and twenty- fourth meetings held on 23 and 24 May the Committee on Programme took the following decisions:

1. gramme of epidend.ological work to be carried out with OIHP funds The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

The Third World Health Assembly

Considering the epidemiological work carried out jointly, from 1948 to 1950, by the World Health Organization and the Office Inter- national dtHygiene Publique;l

AGREES to the continuation of this work by WHO during the coming years, using the funds transferred from the OIHP for the purpose.

2. Western Pacific

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

APPROVES the establishment of a regional organization for the Western Pacific region as soon as possible on the understanding that

the expenditure will not be greater than that provided for in the 1951 budget,

Outlined in document A3/46 Add. 1 Rev.I

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A3/120 page 2

3.

International Sanitary Regulations and Quarantine Mecca Pilgrimage:

Emergency Measures to prevent the introduction of cholera into the Hedjaz from countries in which the disease is endemic.

The Committee on,Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

The Third World Health Assembly,

After having reviewed the legal aspects of the question in the light of the.NE0 Constitution and of the International Sanitary Conventions in force,

AGREES that

(1) It would be inexpedient to refer the matter to the Executive Board;

(2) The 1926 Convention (Article 57) and the 1933 Convention for Aerial Navigation (Article 58) permit modification of their provisions by means of special agreements among Contracting Parties, the former

only permitting measures less burdensome' than those prescribed therein, the latter, although not so restrictive, providing that such agreements be "on the basis of the principles of that Convention ";

(3)

If an emergency existed, it would be proper for the Director -General to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Section on Quarantine of the Expert Committee on Epidemiology and Quarantine to advise on the measures to be taken to meet the situation, but at present there is no

emergency and only a possible danger of a later emergency (September 1950).

(4) In view of the position stated in sub -paragraph (2) above, the most suitable course to follow would be for an official approach to be made by the Egyptian Government to the other governments concerned, namely

India and Pakistan, stating the measures which, in the opinion of the Egyptian sovernment, it would be desirable for them to adopt before the commencement of the next Pilgrimage season.

Any agreement reached bu irreen these governments should be communicated to WHO.

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(5) As the adoption by the present Assembly of interim emergency regulations on the Pilgrimage would entail considerable administrative difficulties and as these regulations would, in order to become operative, require the consent of the countries concerned, there would be no advantage in following such a course in preference to

that suggested above, viz., the voluntary adoption by these countries of special national legislation.

4. Technical Assistance Programme

The Corunittce on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly th.e adoption of the following resolution:

5.

RESOLVES that within the programme of technical assistance

as contained in Official Records No. 23, should be included those two items in Official Records No. 18, concerned with Health Statistics and the preliminary surveys for the Joint WHO /FAO programme for increased food production.

Plague

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution;

1. NOTES the report of the Expert Committee on Plague; ¹

2. THANKS the Committee for their work,

3. REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director -General to take into account the recommendations contained in the Report, in so far as they may be applicable, when implementing the programme.

1 Document A3/37 (WHO /Plague /13)

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r3/ w.2.,

page 4 6. Cholera

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health assembly the adoption of the following resolutions

The Third World Health ssombly

1. NOTES the report of the Joint OIHPftHO Study Group on Cholera on its

third sess loss;.1

2. TILNK8 the experts for their work; ^and

3, REQUESTS the Executive-Board and the Director -General to take into account the recommendations contained in the report when implementing the progranrie4

7, Malaria

The Committee on Programme recomMends to the Third World Health :,.ssembly the adoption of the following resolutions

The Third World Health . ssembly

1. NOTES the report of the Expert Committee on }lalaria on its third session

?

2. TFLNKS the Exports for their work; ^and

3. TR._I\IS 'ITS the recommendations of the Expert Committee on Malaria concerning the Prevention of the Introduction of ,.nophelines to the Expert

Committee on International Epidemiology and Quarantine for its consideration.,

8. Tuberculosis

The Committee on Programme re :orrm nds to the Third World Health L.ssembly the adoption of the following resolutions

The Third World Health ,ssembly

1, NOTES the report of the fourth session of the Expert Committee on Tuber- - culos is

2, THNKS the Experts for their work; and

3. REQUESTS the Executive Board to take into account the recommendat9.on3 cor-:

tained in the report and the views expressed on this subject by the Committee on Pro ranime n.-+oi aM as they may be applicable when implementing the programme.

1 Document WHO/Cholera/6

2 World Hlt`: Or, Techn, Rep, Ser., ^'3 3 WHO Tcchn, Iton S,)r. 7

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A3/12á. -

page 5 9. Therapeutic. Substanc.:s

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the, following resolution:

Thu Third World Health Assembly

APPROVES the proposed programme for 1951 for Therapeutic Substances.'

10, Editorial and Reference Services

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the follo resolution:

In view of the fundamental importance of the programme of publications of the Organization, considered not only as a statutory obligation inherited from previous international organizations, but also' as an activity particularly

favourable to the effectiveness and prestige of WHO,

Considering that the time has came, two years after the final establishment of the Organization, to proceed to a general examination of the results obtained and to determine the future direction of the programme of publications,

1. NOTES the results achieved up till novv, despite indisputable difficulties especially of a financial and material nature,

2. APPROVES the programme .of publications contained'iii the "Proposed

Programme and Budget Estimates for 1951 "2, on the understanding that it will be amended in accordance with the principles enunciated in the note annexed to this resolution.

1 OffecWorld Health Or ,a, 22, 71 -77

2

Off. RE:.c, 2or1d Health_as. as 85792

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. '3. REQUESTS the Director -General ./

(1) to bear in mind, subject to budgetary limitations, as concerns the development of the activities of the Organization

' in thisïeld, the principles enunciated in the annex to this resolution from the' dual viewpoint of the structure and frequency of the various publications,

(2) to take all measures capable of ensuring the quality of the publications in the different languages employed,

(3) to submit to the Executive Board and the Fourth Assembly a special report on the measures adopted in application of the present resolution,

4. REQUESTS the Executive Board to submit its observations and

`comments on this report to the Fourth Assembly,

5. DRAWS the attention of the States Members to the importance of the strict application of Article 63 of the Çonttitution, and

6. RECOMMENDS that they adopt adequate measures in this connexion within the framework of their national health administrations.

{

Principles which should govern the expansiork of the programme of publications

1. The Bulletin of the World Health Crganization is the fundamental

publication of the Organization, texts to be included therein should,conseq \ent7,y be chosen on the grounds of high technical or scientific quality combined with eta wide an international appeal as possible.

The Bulletin should include a bibliographical section, comprising not only references, but alsó abstracts of original documents.

The Bulletin should appear monthly; this rhythm of pueUcation should be put into practiQe as soon as possible, in principle from 1952.

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2. The International Digest of Health Legislation should comprise complete documentation of as recent a date as possible on the national health laws and regulations ".. considered to be of international importance".1

It should be issued not only bound, but also as separate sheets and fascicles enabling classification by subject and by State to be carried out.

According to their importance, the texts in the Digest should be either;

reproduced verbatim, indicated only by a reference, briefly abstracted or partially cited

in a& .tion to thq table of contents, the Dig s 04cald coat* 3,n 4, classi- fied index arranging the text according to subject.

The Digt should appear every three months.

3. The Chronicle should keep to the role of publicity and general information for which it was originally intended,

11. Stimulation of Campaigns against Communicable Diseases

The Committee an Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

APPROVES the programme on Stimulation of Campaigns against Communicable Diseases as contained in the Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for

1951,2 including the following. Malaria, Tuberculosis, Venereal Disease and Trepotiematoses.

1

2

WHA /28 .- Off.Rec. World Hlth Org. 21,20

Off. Rec. World Hlth Org. 23, 119. -129

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12. Organization of Public Health Services

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolutions

APPROVE$ the programme for 1951 as set out in the Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for 1951.1

12.1 Health Education of the Public

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolutions

The Third World Health Assemb

1. APPROVES the programme for Health Educatioh of the Public as

2 contained in the Proposed Programme and Budget. Estimates for 1951) and 2. REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director- General to take.into consideration in implementing the programme, the views expressed on this subject by the Committee on Programme.

1 Off. Rec. World Hlth. Org. 23, 99 (as modified by the Executive. Board at its fifth session Off. Rec. World Hlth. Org. 26 and subject to the reduction provided for in Resolution 16 section (2)

2 Off. Rec. World Hlth. Org. 23, 104105-

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12.2 Nursing

The Committee on Programme recommonds 5 o the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following, resolution:

1. ANROVES the programme for Nursinr;a.s contained in the proposed Programme and Budget Estima_t.os for 1951;1

2. ACCEPTS the views of the Expert Committee on Nursing that developing health programmos call for measures to increase and improve the supply of nurses of All types and for: better use of the supply;

3. EMTVASIUS that programmes of nursing education should be so planned that all nurses 6e given an understanding of the social and preventive

aspects of modern health work; and

4. REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director -General to take into consideration the views expressed on this subject by the Committee on Programme when implementing the programme.

13. General Promotion of Health

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution=

1. APPROVES the programme for General Promotion of Health as contained in the Proposed Programme and Budge :3 Estimates for 1951,2 and

2. REQUESTS the Execútive Board and the Director - General to take into consideration the views expressed by the Committee on Programme when

implementing the various programmes for Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition, and Mental Health.

1 Off.Rec.Vóorld Hith 0rá. 23, 106

2 Off.Rec.World Hlth Org. 23, 141 (as modified by the Executive Board at its fifth session (Of'f.Rec.Rorld Hlth Org. 26))

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14. Professional and Technical Education

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third 4rorld Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

The Third 4-arid Health Assembly

1. EMPHASIZES the importance of further development of international activities in the field of professional and technical education of medical and auxiliary personnel;

2. APPROVES the programme proposed for 19511, and

3. REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director -General to. take into consideration the views expressed on this subject by the Committee on Programme.

15. 4edical Supplies

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third vriorld Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

The Third horld Health Assembly

1. APPROVES the programme on medical supplies as contained in the Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for 19512, and

2. REQUESTS the Executive Board and the Director- General to take into consideration the views expressed by the Committee on Programme when implementing the programme.

1 0ff. Rec. World H1th Org. 231 157-168

2 Off. Rec. rorld Hlth Or. 23, pp. 175 -176 (subject to the modification provided for in Resolution iG, subsection ] (2)

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16. Adjustment of 0peratiny Programme for 1951

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third Vorld Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolutions:

The Third múorld Health Assembly

1. INSTRUCTS the Executive Board and the Director -General to make the following adjustments in Part II of the Proposed Programme and Budget for

1951 as contained in Official Records No. 23 as modified in consequence of the decisions of the Executive Board at its fifth session:

(1) Expert Committees - reduction of the total anima a.

$285,566` by 4151,867; the actual reduction to be made by the Director -General in such way as he deems most proper;

(2) Reduction of 1`-13,000 provided in the regular budget for two staff members in Public Health Administration and Health Demonstration Areas;

(3) Reduction in duty travel and travel of consultants by an arbitrary amount of 10 %, producing a sum of

:27,.000;

(4) Elimination of the item in the Regular Programme and Budget entitled "Programme Supplies to Governments ",

amounting to v100,000.

2. INSTRUCTS the Executive Board and the Director- General to include, within the amounts so made available, the activities covered in the following resolutions:

16.1 Epidemiological Services

Having considered the activities of the Organization in 1949 and 1950 relating to International Sanitary Legislation and Quarantine, including the collection and distribution of epidemiological information by wireless and by printed periodicals,

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The Third 'uorld Health Assembly

1. APPROVES the proposals in this respect as contained in the

Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for 19511 for the continuation of these statutory functions of the Organization;

2. NOIES with satisfaction the progress made by the Expert Committee on International Epidemiology and Quarantine and its legal Sub -

Committee in the preparation of Draft International Sanitary Regula- tions; and

Considering the need for an adequate technical and legal discussion of the Draft WHO regulations which are to replace the existing Inter- national Sanitary Conventions,

3. ESTABLISHES a special committee, consisting of representatives of all iviember States, to consider the Draft International Sanitary Regula- tions prepared by the Expert Committee on International Epidemiology and Quarantine;

4. REQUESTS the Director -General to convene this special committee up to four weeks before the commencement of the Fourth World Health Assembly, in the place selected for that session;

5. RECOL NDS that the Fourth World Health Assembly

(1) Establish a main committee to deal with Sanitary Conventions;

(2) Recognize the Special Committee established by the Third World Health Assembly as its main committee on Sanitary Convention;

(3) Confirm the election of its chairman, and

6. RESOLVES that transportation expenses of delegates and advisers attending the Special Committee be at the expense of participating Member States.

1 Off. Rec. World Hith Org. 23, pages 45, 46 and 54

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16.2. Health Statistics

1. APPROVES the proposed programme for Health Statistics for 1951;1 2. RESOLVES to request the Executive' Board and the Director -General, in conformity with the considerations and opinions expressed on the report of the Expert Committee on Health Statistics1 by the ad hoc committee of the Executive Board to see if means can be found to implement as soon as possible the recommendations of the Expert Committee concerning the

establishment of a "clearing centre" for problems arising in the application of the International Statistical Classification and fecal unit for

maintaining relationship with National Committees on Vital and health Statistics, as recommended by the Second World Health Assemblt;3

3. ENDORSES the recommendation made by the Expert Committee that a joint session of the expert committee and certain co -opted members, specialists in the sphere of morbidity statistics, be convened in 1951 with the object. of obtaining an orientation, evaluation and selection of the projects requiring international action in this field;

4. REFERS the question raised by the delegation of France on "Certain

aspects of Hospital Statistics ", to the Expert Committee on Health Statistics.

16.i. SL'udies of Communicable Diseases The Third World Health Assembly

APPROVES the Programme on Studies of Communicable Diseases as outlined in Official Records No. 23 under the general item 4.1.3, p.47 and the specific items relating to:

Plague as a disease of man (item 5.2.4, p.130)

Typhus fever and relapsing fever (item 5.2.5. p.132) Bilharziasis (item 5.2.1), p.133)

Other Communicable Diseases (item 5.2.7,'p.134) subject to the following specific resolutions:

1. Off. Rec. World Hlth Org. 22, 63-65

2. A3757, Part II

3. 0ff. Roc, World Hlth Org. 21, 28

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16.3.1 Immunization against Communicable Diseases of Childhood The Third Tiorld Health Assembly

1, ENDORSES in principle the programme on Immunization against Communicable Diseases of Childhood as outlined in the proposed Programme for 1951 ; and

2.: DECIDES to call a conference in 1951 of heads of laboratories and institutes producing vaccine against diphtheria and .e.gainst whooping cough.

16.3.2 Leprosy

Recognizing the urgent need of implementing the programme for leprosy approved by thé Second world Health Assembly,

1. APPROVES the programme for Leprosy as contained in the Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for 1951;2 and

2. DECIDES that this programme be placed on the Regular Budget for 1951.

16.3.3 Plague

The Third World Health Ls -embly

1. APB. ROVES the programme for Plague as contained in the Programme and Budget Estimates for 1951;3 and

2.

Proposed

DECIDES that this programme be placed on the Regular Budget for 1951

1 Off.Rec 'World Hlth Or. 23, 48, item* 4.1.3'.4

2 Off.Rec.torld Hlth Org, 23

3

48, item 4.1.3.5

Off.Rec.torld Hith Org. 231 p47, item 4.1.3.1

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A3/120 / page 15 16.3.4 Cholera

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution;

The Third World Health Assembly,

1. APPROVES the programme on Cholera as contained in the Proposed Programme and Budget Estimates for 1951, 1 and

2,. DECIDES to place this programme in the regular budget for 1951.

16.

^I0fluenza

The Programme Committee recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution;

1. APPROVES the programme on influenza ² and

2, DECIDES that this programme should be placed on the regular budget:

16.4 Col- operation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East

Whereas the Executive Board at its second session authorized the Director-General in consultation with the Chairman Of the Executive Board, within the limits of any resources made available for this purpose, to take the necessary emergency measures, under the terms of Article 28 (i) of the Constitution, to deal with events requiring immediate action in connexion with the health situation of Palestine Refugees,3 and

1

2:

3.

Off,Rec.World HI,Org. 23, 48, item 4.1.3.3

Off.RecWorld Hith,Org, 23, 51

Off,Rec,World Hlth Org. 14, 18, paragraph 1.4

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¹⁶

Whereas in accordance with the provisions of Chapter II, Article 2, paragraphs

(a),

^(bJ, (e) and (i) of the Constitution, the Director -General responded to the request of the Secretary- General of the United Nations in December 1948 and assumed responsibility for the technical co- ordination of

the health programme administered by the United Nations relief for Palestine Refugees) and

Whereas the Joint Health Policy Committee at its third sessionl approved a health programme in connexion with the United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees, and

Whereas the xecutive Board at its third session2 approved the action taken by the Director -General in connexion with the health programme of

the.Uhited Nations Relief for lalestine Refugees which included assigning to UNRPR a Chief Medical Officer and a iiedical Officer, and raking available

to UNRPR a grant of (50,000 from the UNRRA Special Fund, and

Whereas the Health Assembly at its second session3 resolved that technical assistance in this field be continued by the World health Organization in 1950 through the United Nations as an emergency measure

and that an amount be rovided for in the Budget for 1950 to meet this expenditure, 4nd

Whereas the Director- General continued in 1950 to assign to UNRPR a Chief 1.1edical Officer and a uïedical Officer and made available to UNRPR a second grant of .50,C004 from the UNkAA Special Fund,5 and

Whereas the Third Health Assembly has noted resolution 302(IÚ) adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations at its fourth session which

establishes the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, with specific" reference to paragraph 18 thereof which reads*

1 Ibid. 22, 46, paragraph 16.1 2 Ibid. 17, 12, paragraph 3.3 3 Ibid. 21, 46, WA2.76

4 Ibid. 21, 47, Appendix l4*

5 Ibid. 22, 46, paragraph 16.1

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«URGES the United Nations International Childrents Emergency Fund, the International Refugee Organization, the

`World Health Organization, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the Food and Agricul- turc Organization and other. appropriate agencies and private groups and organizations, in consultation with the Director - of trie United Nations Relief and á "corks Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, to furnish assistance within the

framework of the prog;ra mTiett . And

.her -eas the Third World Health Assembly has mated Witt approval the letter dated 25 April 19501 sent by the Director - General of the World Health Organization to tha Director, United Na Cians R4ie.f and Works A ,,oncy for

Relfu

s in the Near East, and

stn orties the Third World Health Assembly has noted with approval the Prinziples2 to rot.orn relationship between the World alth Organization and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the

Near East proposed by the Director -General to the Director of UNRWAPRNE in the above -mentioned letter dated 25 April 1.950,

1. AP "PROVES the action taken by the Director- General so far, and Desiring to respond to the request of the General Assembly of the United Nations expressed in paragraph 18 of its resolution 3O2(IV) in so

far as the financial resources of the World Health Organization will allow,

2. CONSIDERS that in accordance with the provisions of Chapter II,

Article 2, paragraphs (a), (b), (e) and (i) of its Constitution, the World Health Organization should continue the technical direction of the health programme administered by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East;

3. CALLS the attention of the Director- General to the need for giving special'aténtion to the education, health and recreation of children in (refugee) camps;

1 Document A3/79, Annex I.

2

Ibid. A3/79, Annex II

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4. APPROVES the Principles proposed by the Director -General to govern relationship between WHO and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East;

5. RESOLVES that the World Health Organization should continue to assign a Chief Medical Officer and a Medical Officer to United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East; ^and

6. REQUESTS the Director -General to negotiate an agreement with the Directcr of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency fer Palestine

Refugees in the Near East on the basis cf the above Principles and to report to the Executive Board at its seventh session concerning the outcome of such negotiations;

7. RECOMIENDS that a sum of $50,000 should be provided within the regular budget to cover the cost of sanitation, anti.- malarial and other public health

supplies and equipment to meet the needs of the Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

17. Appropriation Resolution

The Committee on Programme recommends to the Third World Health Assembly the adoption of the following resolution:

APPROVES Part II of the Appropriation Resolution as set out below :1

Appropriation purpose of

Section Appropriation

part II: OPERATING PROG_R U E

Amount US

4,

Central Technical Services 1,653,829

Advisory Services 3,139,657

6. Regial Offices 809,126

7. Expert Committees and Conferennas 285,866 Total Part II 5,888,478

1 See also A3/117 (item 1.4)