Journal No. 5    13 November 2020

The Journal is intended to give delegates, representatives and other participants advance indications of the Health Assembly’s tentative programme of work. The Journal does not constitute an official record of the Health Assembly’s proceedings. The Journal is published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish on every working day during the Health Assembly.

N° 5 Programme of meetings for Friday, 13 November 2020

Time	Plenary Virtual Room 1
10:00	Third Plenary meeting

Table of contents

1. Programme of work of the Health Assembly

2. Report of meetings

3. Arrangement for the conduct of discussion in meetings

4. Announcements

The resumed 147th session of the Board will open at 10:00 on Monday, 16 November 2020. The session will be held over a one-day period. Working hours will be 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–17:00.

The agenda for EB147 and all other meeting documents are available on the WHO website at: https://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_eb147.html. The agenda also contains hyperlinks to the meeting documents.

Credentials presented in May remain valid for the resumed EB 147th session. Nonetheless, for the sole purpose of registration, credentials already submitted by Member States for the meeting in May 2020 must be re-submitted through the WHO online registration system for the resumed meetings in November 2020. 

 

 

1. Programme of work of the Health Assembly

Friday, 13 November 2020

Third Plenary meeting

10:00

Awards

– Document A73/INF./1

Reports of the main committees

First report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A73/44 containing five decisions entitled:

-       Report of the External Auditor

-       Appointment of representatives to the WHO Staff Pension Committee

-       Maternal, infant and young child nutrition

-       Evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization

-       Data and innovation: draft global strategy on digital health

and two resolutions entitled:

-       Evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization

-       Amendments to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules

First report of Committee A

Document (Draft) A73/45 containing one resolution entitled:

-       Strengthening preparedness for health emergencies: implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)

Second report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A73/46 containing three decisions entitled:

-       WHO programmatic and financial report for 2018/2019, including audited financial statements for 2019

-       Human resources for health

-       Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution

Third report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A73/47 containing one decision entitled:

-       Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

Second report of Committee A

Document (Draft) A73/48 containing two resolutions entitled:

-       Meningitis prevention and control Human resources for health

-       Global actions on epilepsy and other neurological disorders

and one decision entitled:

-       Neglected tropical diseases: road map 2021–2030 and its implications

Closure of the Health Assembly
 

2. Report of meetings

Sixth meeting of Committee A

In the Chair:
Dr Bjørn-Inge Larsen (Norway)

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·        Item 11.1: Primary health care

·        Item 11.2: Follow-up to the high-level meetings of the United Nations General Assembly on health-related issues

o   Universal health coverage: moving together to build a healthier world

o   Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases

·        Item 11.3: Global vaccine action plan

·        Item 11.4: Accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer as a global public health problem

·        Item 11.5: Ending tuberculosis

·        Item 11.6: Epilepsy

·        Item 11.7: Integrated, people-centred eye care, including preventable blindness and impaired vision

·        Item 11.8: Neglected tropical diseases

·        Item 11.9: Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property

The Chair reopened agenda item 11 and drew the Committee’s attention to the subitems and their associated documents A73/4, A73/5, A73/6, A73/7 and A73/8. The Committee was asked to consider the draft resolutions contained in documents A73/A/CONF./1 and A73/A/CONF./2, and the draft decision contained in document A73/A/CONF./3, which would be discussed individually at the completion of the debate.

Comments were invited from the floor.

The Secretariat responded to issues raised and the Chair then gave the floor to Dr Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe, followed by Ms Mary Lou Valdez, Deputy Director of the Regional Office of the Americas who spoke on behalf of the Regional Director. At the invitation of the Chair, the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, addressed the Committee.

The Committee was invited to consider the draft resolutions contained in documents A73/A/CONF./1 and A73/A/CONF./2, and the draft decision contained in document A73/A/CONF./3, which were approved without amendment.

The agenda item was closed.

Draft second report of Committee A

The Chair invited the vice-Chair, (Dr Susie Perera De Silva [Sri Lanka]), to read out the second draft report of Committee A, document (draft) A73/48 containing two resolutions entitled:

-       Meningitis prevention and control Human resources for health

-       Global actions on epilepsy and other neurological disorders

and one decision entitled:

-       Neglected tropical diseases: road map 2021–2030 and its implications

The second draft report of Committee A was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.

Sixth meeting of Committee B

In the Chair:
H.E Mrs Elizabeth Wilde (Australia), Vice-Chair

The Chair opened the meeting and informed the Committee that the following Member States had registered and were therefore represented at the resumed session of the Health Assembly: Comoros, and Liberia. Subsequently, the Chair informed the Committee that South Sudan has also registered, but in accordance with the Rule 24 of the Rules of Procedures, pending a decision by the plenary of the Health Assembly on its credentials, South Sudan will be seated provisionally with all the rights pertaining to its participation to the Health Assembly

Draft second report of Committee B

The Chair invited the Rapporteur, (Mr Tashi Penjor [Bhutan]), to read out the second draft report of Committee B, document (draft) A73/46 containing three decisions entitled:

-       WHO programmatic and financial report for 2018/2019, including audited financial statements for 2019

-       Human resources for health

-       Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution

The second draft report of Committee B was adopted.

Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

The Chair opened the item and informed the Committee of additional countries requesting to co-sponsor the draft decision (Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Yemen). The Chair invited comments from the floor. The Chair then invited the Committee to consider the draft decision contained in document A73/B/CONF./1 Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.

In accordance with Rule 74 of the Rules of Procedure, a roll-call vote by raising of hands in the virtual platform was taken.  The Chair drew a letter in order to identify the first country to vote which was “T”. The vote resulted in 78 votes in favour to 14 votes against, with 32 abstentions and 56 Member States absent, as follows:

Votes in favour: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bhutan, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, China, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, France, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Iraq, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Viet Nam, Yemen, Zimbabwe.

Votes against: Australia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, Eswatini, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia (Federated States of), Slovenia, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America.

Abstentions: Austria, Barbados, Bulgaria, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Iceland, Italy, Kenya, Latvia, Lithuania, Madagascar, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Sweden, Ukraine, Uruguay.

Absent: Albania, Andorra, Bahamas, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Nigeria, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Suriname, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, United Republic of Tanzania, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Zambia.

Several delegates gave an explanation of vote under Rule 77 of the Rules of Procedure and one delegate exercised a right of reply in accordance with the Rule 57 of the Rules of Procedure. The Chair gave the floor to one additional delegate.

The draft decision was recommended for adoption and the item was closed. 

Draft third report of Committee B

The Chair invited the Rapporteur, (Mr Tashi Penjor [Bhutan]), to read out the third draft report of Committee B, document (draft) A73/47 containing one decision entitled:

-       Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

The third draft report of Committee B was adopted.

The meeting was adjourned.

 

 

3. Arrangement for the conduct of discussion in meetings

Individual statements by Member States and Associate Members must be limited to three minutes. Statements by Observers, invited representatives of United Nations and other participating intergovernmental organizations will be limited to two minutes. Statements by non-State actors in official relations with the Organization will be limited to one minute and regional and group statements will be limited to four minutes. To ensure accurate and clear interpretation through the virtual platform, copies of all statements should be submitted in advance by email to [email protected]. Clearly indicate the name of the delegation/group in the subject line of the email. All remote speakers should use headphones and microphones to ensure optimal sound quality for interpreters and listeners.

Member States, Associate Members, Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations and non-State actors are invited to post written statements on the website in the language of submission. In line with the guidelines for written statements outlined in decision EB146(17), statements by Member States may be provided in any of the six WHO official languages and should be limited to 500 words for individual statements and 800 words for group statements. Member States are advised to submit their statements to [email protected], clearly indicating the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the subject line.

Member States and Associate Members may submit a pre-recorded video statement in place of live interventions. Video statements may be uploaded at the following link: https://bit.ly/3nPXAUG. The following time limits will apply: Member States and Associate Members - 3 minutes and Group statements - 4 minutes. When uploading each video, please indicate clearly the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the description field. Videos received after the deadline, exceeding the time limits or labelled in such a way that the relevant agenda item or sub-item cannot be identified, may not be played. Video statements may be included in the live streaming and therefore will be included in the official records.

Interpretation will be provided in the official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) to help delegates to follow the discussions. Delegates are requested to speak clearly and at a normal speaking pace to enable clear and accurate interpretation through the virtual platform. To facilitate this further, delegates are requested to submit copies of all statements at least one hour in advance by email to [email protected]. Clearly indicate the name of the country delegation/group and agenda item in the subject line of the email.  Note: a statement of three minutes at normal speaking pace is equivalent to approximately 330 words.

 

Delegates participating remotely are also particularly requested to:

·        Use a high-quality headset and ensure a soundproof and echo-free room

·        Adjust speech to account for the remote environment (speak clearly, avoid excessive use of acronyms, speak into the microphone)

·        Speak at a moderate pace (110 words/minute)

 

 

4. Announcements

The Zoom platform will be used for virtual sessions of WHA73. In order to ensure good sound quality on the virtual platform, please ensure that when taking the floor to deliver a statement, you select the language on the interpretation channel in which you are planning to speak and use high-quality headsets with echo cancelling microphones and webcam. We recommend that you use a personal computer, rather than a smartphone or tablet, and download the latest version of the Zoom software. Please deliver your statement at a moderate speed that allows for its interpretation and ensures your message is conveyed clearly and accurately.

For support related to the virtual platform, please send an email to [email protected]           

The Plenary sessions will be webcast in the six UN languages. The webcasts can be viewed on Mac and PCs, as well as all mobile devices including iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows-enabled phones.

Arabic:            https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=ar

Chinese:         https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=zh

English:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=en

French:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=fr

Russian:          https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=ru

Spanish:          https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=es

The World Health Assembly application allows you to receive updates on the WHA73 programme of work and access documentation directly on your mobile device. Scan the QR code below and download the application in your device.

 

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