ï World Health Organization
Organisation mondiale de la Santé
EXECUTIVE BOARD Provisional agenda item 10 EB95/INF.DOC./5 Ninety-fifth Session 14 October 1994
Health and biomedical information
Orientation document for programme review
This document has been prepared in accordance with the guidance on programme reviews by the subgroups of the Executive Board (provided in document EB94/INF.DOC./1) and the report on establishment of subgroups for programme reviews at the ninety-fifth session of the Board (document EB94/6). It provides orientation for the members of the subgroup charged with reviewing the programme. Further details will be provided during the review.
The Board's response and comments will guide priority-setting, orientation and approach for implementation of this programme.
I. INTRODUCTION
The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health (Constitution, Preamble).
1. Recognizing this principle, the authors of WHO's Constitution decided that one of the Organization's functions (Article 2(q)) would be: "to provide information, counsel and assistance in the field of health".
The Division of Publishing, Language and Library Services (PLL) at WHO Geneva, like the health and biomedical information programmes (HBI) in the regional offices, works with all WHO technical programmes to meet the worldwide need for up-to-date, validated and authoritative information on health matters. Using its expertise in scientific publishing, communication and information sciences in the service of technical cooperation, the programme acts as WHO's instrument for the transfer of health information to health workers, planners, and administrators in countries, a vital theme tíiat has figured in each of the Organization's General Programmes of Work. The Division's three main components - the publishing, language and library services - are outlined in turn in the following sections.
II. PUBLISHING SERVICES A. Policy b a s i s
2. When WHO was established in 1948 it took over the publishing functions of the earlier international health organizations. In 1950，the Third World Health Assembly recognized the fundamental importance of the publications programme, not only as an inherited statutory obligation, but "as an activity particularly favourable to the effectiveness and prestige of WHO". To promote wider dissemination, a revolving fund
to finance reprints was established in 1948. The present Revolving Sales Fund, set up in 1959, is governed by conditions defined by the Health Assembly in 1969.
3. Much of the knowledge and experience gained in the regions and in headquarters in WHO's first 38 years was distilled in the Global Publications Policy Study, which reoriented the publishing programme in 1986. The general publications policy annexed to that study remains the basis for WHO's publishing practices today. One particular outcome was the establishment of the WHO Publications Committee at headquarters, which began work in 1987. Similar bodies guide publishing activities in the regions.
B. Programme orientation
4. WHO's publishing services work in partnership with all WHO technical programmes to publish and disseminate scientific, technical, managerial and other information relating to health in printed and other forms. The programme is continuing to publish in conventional printed form, encouraging and licensing translations, reproductions and adaptations of WHO material in printed and electronic media, and working towards electronic publishing under the Organization's own imprint.
5. The programme uses professional design, printing, marketing and promotion techniques to produce attractive and readable books and journals at the lowest prices, and to sell them through the global book trade.
At the same time, reflecting WHO's special responsibility for health workers in the needier countries, the programme places special emphasis on the free distribution of WHO publications for multiple users.
C. Programme development and activities
6. The publishing programme closely reflects the overall priorities and activities of the Organization as a whole, allocating its resources to support the governing bodies and all technical activities. The four headquarters units dealt with in this section - the Office of Publications, Graphics, Printing, and Distribution and Sales - are centred on publications. They also deal with documents and records for the governing bodies, and all aspects of graphic and print work for the Organization. For the current biennium, it is estimated that more than 16% of the budget for the global HBI programme is attributable to governing body documentation and publications.
7. PLL at headquarters is solely responsible for publishing four periodicals. Three are produced in the Office of Publications: the bimonthly English and/or French peer review research journal, the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (print run 6000); the bimonthly illustrated magazine World Health (in English, French, Russian and Spanish, combined print run 75 000-115 000); and the quarterly World Health Forum (in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish editions, print run for the last four languages 23 000). The fourth is the quarterly International Digest of Health Legislation (in English and French editions, total print run for both 4000)，prepared in PLL's Health Legislation unit. Citation indexes show that WHO periodicals compete well with other health journals globally.
8. The programme also provides editorial support for the quarterly WHO Drug Information (original English, print run 4200)，and design, printing and distribution for the Weekly Epidemiological Record (in English/French, 7000-copy circulation) and the World Health Statistics Quarterly (English and/or French, 4500 print run). In the Americas, РАНО，s Boletín de la Oficina Sanitaria Panamericana appears monthly in Portuguese and Spanish (print run 15 000); the quarterlies Bulletin of the Pan American Health Organization (print run 6000) and Educación médica y salud (print run 6000) are published in English and Spanish (with some Portuguese and English respectively).
9. WHO normally publishes 60 to 80 titles a year in the original language. In addition to international norms, standards and classifications, the books include handbooks and guidelines on a wide variety of subjects. In parallel with highly technical material, the Organization stresses the publication of texts that are
directly applicable in health practice in less prosperous countries. Books published in the regions tend to reflect regional priorities.
10. Further important tasks of the programme are to make the contractual arrangements for the publication of books outside WHO (15-20 each year), and grant permission for or license the reproduction of WHO's copyright material in print or electronic form.
11. Promotion of the translation and publication of appropriate WHO books in languages other than the six official languages has been particularly successful. In the last five years, translations have been published or undertaken under agreements with WHO in some 60 languages, reaching a peak of about 150 translated editions in the year 1994，for a total of some 300 000 further copies of WHO books disseminated annually at little cost to the Organization. The activity seems to be limited only by the reduced budget and restricted staff time that can be devoted to it.
12. Since 1988，some 120 low-cost local reprints of WHO publications have been licensed, notably in India, where national publishers are eager to publish WHO titles locally. Elsewhere, reprints are encouraged by WHO but appear more sporadically. The programme attaches importance to strengthening national capability in its field, although the demand for WHO support is much greater than can be met.
13. Since 1986，promotion has evolved from a single yearly list of new titles to fully annotated catalogues and topical brochures issued in virtually every area where the Organization is active. WHO books are also made visible to potential readers in the medical and scientific press.
14. Delivery of WHO books and periodicals to the intended readers is achieved by a combination of free distribution and sales. From 1990 through 1993, 1.7 million copies of WHO books were sold, and 2 million were distributed free of charge. In 1993，turnover from the sale of publications reached an unprecedented US$ 3.6 million, more than doubling the turnover in 1985. This growth in revenue directly supports expanded distribution services.
15. To cope with growing demand, free distribution has been reoriented so that priority is given to the distribution of copies that will be used by several readers. Target groups for free distribution now include an expanding world network of educational establishments, hospitals, research institutes, documentation centres, and professional health associations, largely in developing countries. A second innovation has been the extension of the concept of WHO depository libraries, which now number 152，to a growing network of WHO public reference points - currently numbering 877，largely in developing countries - where comprehensive collections of WHO publications are available for public consultation.
D. Programme review and evaluation
16. In addition to thorough periodic reviews by the governing bodies, management surveys, and reports by the United Nations Joint Inspection Unit, the programme receives regular scrutiny from WHO's governing bodies in the context of the biennial programme budget. Since 1987，the Headquarters Publications Committee has provided continuous review of the publications programme, acting as in-house editorial board.
Impact after publication is assessed through a range of indicators of demand, interest and quality; readership surveys are carried out periodically, while press reviews throughout the world are constantly monitored for indications of usefulness and quality of content and presentation.
17. The Distribution and Sales service is subject to biennial reviews, in which the income from sales of publications, the effectiveness of WHO sales agents, depository libraries and public reference points are scrutinized in the light of distribution goals in each Member State.
30 ООО 25 000.
2 0 0 0 0 - 15000-
10 000.
5 000 О-
S Governing body documents
III. LANGUAGE SERVICES A. Policy basis
18. The current policy on the translation of WHO's official, administrative and technical documents and sales publications is based on resolution WHA31.13 (1978)，which reaffirmed the use of six working languages in WHO on a pragmatic basis，taking into account the specific requirements of Member States, the Health Assembly and the Executive Board.
B. Programme orientation
19. The six language sub-units of PLL's Office of Language Services correspond to WHO's six working languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. Apart from the Regional Office for South-East Asia, which works in English, all regional offices use English and French. In addition, the Regional Office for Africa works in Portuguese, the Regional Office for the Americas in Spanish and Portuguese, the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean in Arabic, and the Regional Office for Europe in German and Russian. Diminishing resources coupled with growing demand for language services have called for greater reliance on and expansion of the network of competent free-lance technical translators. To improve cost-effectiveness in the provision of translation services a computer-assisted translation and terminology service was established in May 1994 to keep under review, and to recommend implementation, as appropriate, of developments in computer technology that offer assistance, improvements and savings in the translation process.
C. Programme development and activities
20. As appears from Figure 1，the six language sub-units at headquarters are to varying degrees involved in translating technical and administrative documents, which represented almost half of the pages translated in the biennium 1992-1993. Governing body documents represent about 35% of the total workload in the same biennium.
FIGURE 1. OFFICE OF LANGUAGE SERVICES:
ANALYSIS OF OUTPUT, 1992-1993
Arabic Chinese English French Russian Spanish
sa
>6 Dd
"
2O M-
2£ PJDPU2S WHO 94725
21. WHO publications made up 18% of the total texts translated in 1992-1993. Most were translated into French (in 1993，35 books and 13 periodical issues) and Spanish (in 1993, 30 books and 8 periodical issues) by contractual translators working outside the Organization. Selecting, translating and publishing Arabic versions of WHO publications have been the sole responsibility of the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean since 1988. In 1993 it published Arabic editions of 11 headquarters books and 3 periodical issues. WHO global publications in Chinese and Russian editions are the responsibility of scientific publishers in Beijing and Moscow nominated by the ministries of health, with WHO funding administered by Director PLL, headquarters. The 1993 publishing programmes included 13 WHO books published in Geneva and 6 periodical issues in Chinese, 27 books and 20 periodical issues in Russian.
22. In addition to regular staff, the Office of Language Services draws on the resources of in-house temporary staff and outside contractual translators. Temporary staff meet urgent needs during peak periods, mainly before, during and after meetings of WHO governing bodies. Outside contractual translators translate French and Spanish publications and lengthy technical documents that are not required urgently.
D. Programme review and evaluation
23. Cost-effectiveness is measured against prevailing comparable conditions in the local and international translation markets. Statistical data are compiled daily, analysed and reviewed monthly and yearly, with the aim of monitoring productivity, forecasting workload, and rationalizing the use of resources. These data indicate that translation activities in WHO are carried out in a transparent and efficient manner, providing the best value for money.
IV. LIBRARY SERVICES A. Policy basis
24. The First World Health Assembly recognized the need for library and reference services in WHO (resolution WHA1.57). Resolution EB33.R44 (1964) extended supply purchases for Member States to include medical literature, and resolution WHA25.26 (1972) urged the development of regional medical libraries.
B. Programme orientation
25. WHO's Office of Library and Health Literature Services (HLT) supports people dealing with health issues in their efforts to obtain the most timely and appropriate information at minimum cost: it operates both an information service for WHO and an action programme launched in 1974 to assist Member States in setting up national infrastructures for health information services.
26. In the 1970s and early 1980s, strategies concentrated on establishing regional networks of national focal point libraries and on bibliographic control of local literature. HLT at headquarters started disseminating WHO bibliographic information and initiated a central purchasing service to provide information material to WHO projects and institutions in Member States. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, using new computer and communication technology, HLT developed as a modern information centre for WHO and launched a proactive development programme with impact at global, regional and country levels.
C. Programme development and activities
27. Regional library networks were established: the Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Information Network, HELLIS in the South-East Asia Region, AHILA in the African Region and EURO Documentation Centres in the European Region. Regional Medical Indexes are being compiled in the
Americas (LILACS), in the Eastern Mediterranean (IMEMR), in South-East Asia (IMSEAR) and in Africa (AIM). The electronic versions are either already available or in progress.
28. At global level HLT provides the WHOLIS bibliographic database to WHO regional and country offices and makes it available to all via international servers, on CD-ROM with abstracts and on Internet. WHOLIS, as the electronic index to WHO's technical memory, is phase I of the Electronic Library Initiative.
29. HLT's action programme develops the capacity of information professionals to participate actively in multidisciplinary networks and to create local information services appropriate to the cultural, sociological and technological environment of their communities.
30. Technical assistance is provided for acquiring and using information in all forms from WHO and other worldwide sources, and for identifying local knowledge. Essential information lists and kits are offered.
Technical cooperation for capacity-building and sustainability includes the development and provision of methodology, norms, standards, tools and training as well as the design and implementation of specific projects for countries or organizations.
31. The programme stimulates local initiatives and fosters intersectoral partnerships: e.g., the International Index to African Health Literature and Information Sources, which is a multipartite collaborative project aimed also at developing links with local publishers and researchers.
D. Programme review and evaluation
32. Monitoring of the use of its services and feedback from users and partners provide HLT with valuable information about the relevance and impact of its activities. The 1992 Joint Inspection Unit report on United Nations system libraries commended WHO for the performance of its Library. Ongoing projects are regularly evaluated and the results are disseminated among professional networks and through publications.
V. ISSUES FOR THE FUTURE
33. The main challenges confronting the programme are: (1) how to maintain or improve the services it offers in the face of diminishing resources, and (2) how to make the best use possible of the opportunities offered by the current revolution in information technology.
ANNEX
REFERENCES
I. INTRODUCTION
WHO Handbook of Resolutions and Decisions of the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board, Vol. I， 1973, pp. 177-184，293-294，402-404, 483; Vol. II, 1985’ pp. 176-178, 249-253, 310.
Ninth General Programme of Work covering the period 1996-2001, Geneva, WHO, "Health for All" Series No. 11，1994’ paras 61，74(ii), 83(x), 92，93(vii, ix)，94(ii, iii, vii), 105(iii), 107(i), 143.
World Health Organization. The work of WHO 1992-1993: Biennial report of the Director-General, Geneva, WHO, 1994，Chapter 15，Health information support, pp. 125-128.
WHO Regional Office for Africa. The work of WHO in the African Region 1991-1992: Biennial report of the Regional Director, Brazzaville, AFRO (document AFR/RC43/3), 1993，pp. 59-60.
Pan American Health Organization. Report of the Director: Quadrennial 1990-1993, Annual 1993, Washington, DC, РАНО Official Document No. 262，1994, pp. 67-74，137-138.
WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The work of WHO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Annual report of the Regional Director 1 January-31 December 1993, Alexandria, EMRO (document EM/RC41 /2Е), 1993, pp. 109-112.
WHO Regional Office for Europe. Regional-Director ’s report 1992-1993, Copenhagen, EURO (documents EUR/RC44/2 and EUR/RC44/Conf.Doc./2), 1994, paras 130-132.
WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia. Highlights of the work of WHO in the South-East Asia Region (1 July 1993-20 June 1994), New Delhi, SEARO (document SEA/RC47/2), 1994，pp. 46-48.
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. Short report of the Regional Director to the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific: 1 July 1993-30 June 1994, Manila, WPRO (document WPR/RC45/2),
1994’ pp. 39-40.
WHO Management Survey Report No. 178. Management and organization of the publication and translation services at EURO, 1985.
WHO Management Survey Report No. 184. Health documentation services in EURO, 1986.
WHO Management Survey Report No. 202. Policy and management of HBI/EMRO, 1989.
II. PUBLISHING SERVICES
Resolutions WHA3.63 (1952), WHA22.8 (1969).
World Health Organization. Publications catalogue 1948-1989, Geneva, WHO, 1989.
World Health Organization. Publications catalogue: New books 1986-1990’ 1991, 1992，1993’ 1994, Geneva, WHO, 1990-1994.
GPC/PDWG Global Publications Policy Study: WHO's general publications policy; Recommendations endorsed by the Global Programme Committee (GPC) (document GPC/MIN/19, June 1986，Annex 5 and Annex 4).
WHO Management Survey Report No. 111. Graphics services within the Office of Publications and Translation, 1973.
WHO Management Survey Report No. 143. Organization of internal and external printing facilities, 1975, Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations. Publications policy and practice in the United Nations system (document JIU/REP/84/5).
Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations. Decentralization of organizations within the United Nations system, Part III: World Health Organization (document JIU/REP/93/2，Part III).
III. LANGUAGE SERVICES
Resolutions EB2.R14 (1948)，WHA31.13 (1978).
Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly, Rules 87-95; Rules of Procedure of the Executive Board, Rules 22-25 {Basic documents，40th edition).
Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations. Evaluation of the translation process in the United Nations system (document JIU/REP/80/7).
WHO Management Survey Report No. 206, Management and efficiency of translation services at headquarters, 1989.
IV. LIBRARY SERVICES
Joint Inspection Unit of the United Nations. Towards an integrated library network of the Ünited Nations system (document JIU/REP/92/5), p. 22.
World Health Organization. International documentation, Infonortics, 1991，pp. 36-46.
Health information - appropriate information: new products and services, World Health Forum, 14: 410-417 (1993).
