Journal No. 8   29 May 2023

This journal is intended to give delegates, representatives and other participants advance indications of the Health Assembly’s tentative programme of work. Additional information can be found in the Guide for delegates to the World Health Assembly (document A76/DIV./2)

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° 8 Programme of meetings

Time	Committee A Room XX	Committee B Room XVII
09:00	Thirteenth meeting	Ninth meeting
14:30	Fourteenth meeting	Tenth meeting

Table of contents

1. Date and working hours

2. Programme of work of the Health Assembly

3. Report of meetings

4. Other meetings

5. Arrangements for conduct of discussion in meetings

6. Announcements

Please note the following administrative arrangements:

Badges for Members of the Board, their alternates and advisers, and representatives of Member States and organizations invited to attend, will be issued at:

-  the Palais des Nations on Monday, 29 May 2023 from 14:00 to 17:00 and Tuesday, 30 May 2023 from 08:00 until the closure of the Assembly

-  WHO headquarters on Wednesday, 31 May to Thursday, 1 June 2023 from 08:00 until the closure of the Executive Board session.

1.  Date and working hours

The working hours of the Health Assembly are from 09:00 to 12:00 and 14:30 to 17:30 (CEST).

The Health Assembly will close no later than Tuesday, 30 May 2023, as decided by the Executive Board at its 152nd session.

Delegates and other participants will be able to collect their badges from the Distribution Desk in the main lobby of WHO headquarters. The Distribution Desk will be open at the following times:

WHA76:

–     Monday, 29 May 2023 from 08:00 to 17:00

–     Tuesday, 30 May 2023 from 08:00 until the closure of WHA76.

2. Programme of work of the Health Assembly

Monday, 29 May 2023

Thirteenth and fourteenth meetings of Committee A — Building E Room XX

09:00 and 14:30

Draft fourth report of Committee A

Document (draft) A76/57 containing two decisions entitled:

-  Substandard and falsified medical products

-  Global strategy on infection prevention and control

and one resolution entitled:

-  Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·  Item 16.4

The highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities

-  Document A76/7 Rev.1

·  Item 16.6

Behavioural sciences for better health

-  Documents A76/7 Rev.1 and EB152/2023/REC/1, decision EB152(23)

Ninth and tenth meetings of Committee B — Building E Room XVII

09:00 and 14:30

Audit and oversight matters

·  Item 20.4

Appointment of the External Auditor

-  Documents A76/25, A76/25 Add.1 and A76/25 Add.2

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·   Item 16.1 continued

Well-being and health promotion

-  Documents A76/7 Rev.1, and A76/7 Add.2 and A76/7 Add.3

·  Item 16.2 continued

Ending violence against children through health systems strengthening and multisectoral approaches

-  Document A76/7 Rev.1

·  Item 16.3 continued

Social determinants of health

-  Documents A76/7 Rev.1, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.1, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.4, A76/A/CONF./1, A76/A/CONF./1 Add.1, A76/A/CONF./2, A76/A/CONF./2 Add.1 and EB152/2023/REC/1, decision EB152(12)

·  Item 16.5 continued

United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016−2025)

-  Documents A76/7 Rev.1 and EB152/2023/REC/1, decision EB152(13)

 

Tuesday, 30 May 2023

Fifteenth meeting of Committee A — Building E Room XX

09:00

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·  Item 15.3 continued

Global Health for Peace Initiative

-  Documents A76/7 Rev.1, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.2 and A76/7 Rev.1 Add.3

Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports

Eleventh meeting of Committee B — Building E Room XVII

09:00

Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports

Ninth Plenary meeting — Building E Room XIX

Immediately after conclusion of Committees A and B

Reports of the main committees

Draft first report of Committee A

Document (Draft) A76/50 containing one resolution entitled:

-  Programme budget 2024-2025

Draft first report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A76/51 containing one decision entitled:

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

Draft second report of Committee A

Document (Draft) A76/52 containing one decision entitled:

-  Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee-receiving and -hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federation’s aggression

Draft second report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A76/54 containing six decisions entitled:

-  Results Report 2022 (Programme budget 2022–2023: performance assessment) and Financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2022

-  Report of the External Auditor

-  Reform of the global internship programme

-  Appointment of representatives to the WHO Staff Pension Committee

-  Report of the Agile Member States Task Group on Strengthening WHO’s Budgetary, Programmatic and Financing Governance

-  Sustainable financing: feasibility of a replenishment mechanism, including options for consideration

and six resolutions entitled:

-  Scale of assessments for 2024–2025

-  Amendments to the Financial Regulations and Financial Rules

-  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

-  Housing allowance for the Director-General

-  Salaries of staff in ungraded positions and of the Director-General

-  Report of the International Civil Service Commission

Draft third report of Committee A

Document (draft) A76/56 containing four resolutions entitled:

-  Integrated emergency, critical and operative care for universal health coverage and protection from health emergencies

-  Increasing access to medical oxygen

-  Preparation for the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on universal health coverage

-  Strengthening diagnostics capacity

and one decision entitled:

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

Draft third report of Committee B

Document (Draft) A76/55 containing two decisions entitled:

-  Extension of the WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014-2023 to 2025

-  Voluntary Health Trust Fund for small island developing States (terms of reference)

and one resolution entitled:

-  Extension of the WHO global action plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants, 2019-2023 to 2030

Closure of the Health Assembly

3. Report of meetings

Twelfth meeting of Committee A

In the Chair:
Dr Jalila bint Al Sayyed Jawad Hassan (Bahrain)

Draft third report of Committee A

The Chair opened the meeting and called upon the Rapporteur (Mr Nogoibaev Bek [Kyrgyzstan]) to read out the Draft third report of Committee A, Document (Draft) A76/56 containing four resolutions entitled:

-  Integrated emergency, critical and operative care for universal health coverage and protection from health emergencies

-  Increasing access to medical oxygen

-  Preparation for the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on universal health coverage

-  Strengthening diagnostics capacity

and one decision entitled:

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

The resolutions and decision were approved and the third report of Committee A was adopted.

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·  Item 13.3 continued

Substandard and falsified medical products

·  Item 13.4 continued

Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems

·  Item 13.5 continued

Draft global strategy on infection prevention and control

The Chair reopened the first group of agenda items (13.3, 13.4 & 13.5). In accordance with Rule 49 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly, non-State actors who had requested to speak at the previous meeting were invited to take the floor.

The Chair then invited Dr Rabindra R. Abeyasinghe, representative for Acting Regional Director for the Western Pacific, to take the floor

The Secretariat responded to questions raised and the Committee noted the report contained in document A76/7 Rev.1 and approved draft decision EB152(9) contained in document EB152/2023/REC/1; draft decision EB152(10) contained in document EB152/2023/REC/1 and draft decision EB152(7) contained in document EB152/2023/REC/1 thus closing the agenda item.

The Chair gave the floor to two delegations who disassociated themselves from text in section 6 on page 9 of the Draft global strategy on infection prevention and control.

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·  Item 13.6

Global road map on defeating meningitis by 2030

·  Item 13.7

Standardization of medical devices nomenclature

The Chair opened this group of items, drew the Committee’s attention to the relevant document A76/7 Rev.1 and invited comments from the floor.

The Chair then invited Dr Waogodo Joseph Cabore, representative for WHO Regional Director for Africa, to take the floor.

The Secretariat responded to issues raised and the Committee noted relevant sections of the report contained in document A76/7 Rev. 1 thus closing the agenda item.

The meeting was closed.

Seventh meeting of Committee B

In the Chair:
Dr Carlos Alvarenga Cardoza (El Salvador)

Draft third report of Committee B

The Chair called upon the Rapporteur (Ms Lucy Cassels [New Zealand]) to read out the draft third report of Committee B, document (draft) A76/55 containing two decisions entitled:

-  Extension of the WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014-2023 to 2025

-  Voluntary Health Trust Fund for small island developing States (terms of reference)

and one resolution entitled:

-  Extension of the WHO global action plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants, 2019-2023 to 2030

The draft third report of Committee B was adopted.

Matters for information

·  Item 27.1 continued

Progress reports

Discussion of agenda item 27.1 will be grouped as follows: (I, J, K, L, M & N), (O & P)

Pillar 3 continued: One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being

I.      The role of the health sector in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management towards the 2020 goal and beyond (decision WHA74(25) (2021))

J.     WHO global strategy on health, environment and climate change: the transformation needed to improve lives and well-being sustainably through healthy environments (decision WHA74(24) (2021))

K.    Decade of Healthy Ageing 2020–2030 (decision WHA73(12) (2020))

L.    Water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities (resolution WHA72.7 (2019))

M.   Prevention of deafness and hearing loss (resolution WHA70.13 (2017) and decision WHA74(17) (2021))

N.   Plan of action on climate change and health in small island developing States (decision WHA72(10) (2019)) and paragraph 29 of document A72/16

The Chair reopened the discussion under Pillar 3: One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being and invited comments from the floor. The Secretariat responded to questions raised and the discussion was closed.

Pillar 4: More effective and efficient WHO providing better support to countries

O.   Global strategy on digital health (decision WHA73(28) (2020))

P.    Eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (resolution WHA72.15 (2019))

The Chair opened the discussion under Pillar 4: More effective and efficient WHO providing better support to countries and invited comments from the floor. The Secretariat responded to questions raised and the agenda item was closed.

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·   Item 16.1

Well-being and health promotion

·  Item 16.2

Ending violence against children through health systems strengthening and multisectoral approaches

·  Item 16.3

Social determinants of health

·  Item 16.5

United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016−2025)

The Chair opened this grouping of agenda items and drew the Committee’s attention to the relevant documents A76/7 Rev.1, A76/7 Add.2, A76/7 Add.3, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.1, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.4, A76/A/CONF./1, A76/A/CONF./1 Add.1, A76/A/CONF./2 and A76/A/CONF./2 Add.1.

The Chair invited the representative of the Executive Board to give his remarks. Comments were invited from the floor. 

Discussion of the grouped agenda items was suspended and the meeting was adjourned.

Eighth meeting of Committee B

In the Chair:
Mrs Katarzyna Drążek-Laskowska (Poland)

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·  Item 16.1 continued

Well-being and health promotion

·  Item 16.2 continued

Ending violence against children through health systems strengthening and multisectoral approaches

·  Item 16.3 continued

Social determinants of health

·  Item 16.5 continued

United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016−2025)

The Chair reopened this grouping of agenda items and invited comments from the floor.  The Chair suspended discussion of the grouped agenda items to be continued at the next meeting of the Committee. 

In accordance with Rule 57 of the Rules of Procedure, the delegations of Japan, Russian Federation, China and France exercised the right of reply.

The meeting was adjourned.

4. Other meetings

The Secretariat has been advised that the following meetings will take place during the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly. This represents information received up to 27 May 2023:

Monday, 29 May 2023

07:30–08:50 Room XXV

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.

08:00–08:50 Room XXVII

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region.

08:15–08:45 Room XXII

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO Western Pacific Region.

08:15–08:50 Room XXVI

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO European Region.

13:00–14:30 Room XXV

Coordination meeting of the European Union.

Tuesday, 30 May 2023

08:00–08:50 Room XXVII

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO South-East Asia Region.

08:15–08:45 Room XXII

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO Western Pacific Region.

08:15–08:50 Room XXVI

Meeting of the delegations of Member States of the WHO European Region.

13:00–14:30 Room XXV

Coordination meeting of the European Union.

5. Arrangements for conduct of discussion in meetings

Member State delegations are asked to observe the time limit for verbal statements during the sessions. Plenary: individual statements by Member States and Associate Members will be limited to three minutes (330 words), Regional and group statements will be limited to four minutes (440 words).
Committees A & B: individual statements by Member States and Associate Members will be limited to three minutes (330 words), Regional and group statements will be limited to five minutes (550 words).

Delegations providing group statements are discouraged from taking the floor subsequently to provide a national statement. In addition, delegations on whose behalf a group statement is provided, are discouraged from subsequently taking the floor except to provide any brief additional comments that were not covered by the group statement.

Statements by Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and other participating intergovernmental organizations will be limited to two minutes (220 words). Statements by non-State actors in official relations with the Organization will be limited to one minute and three minutes for constituency statements.

To ensure that statements are interpreted as clearly as possible, delegates are requested to submit a copy of their statements at least one hour in advance by email to interpret@who.int.

Member States and Associate Members are invited to submit written statements for posting on the website in the language of submission in accordance with the guidelines for written statements in decision EB149(3). Delegates wishing to have their statements posted on the Health Assembly webpage or to share a longer statement containing additional information may send it to statements@who.int.

Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating and intergovernmental organizations are also invited to submit written statements in accordance with those guidelines. Non-State actors are invited to submit written statements as per the practical information for representatives of non-State actors in official relations with WHO.

In accordance with the guidelines, statements 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. They should be submitted to statements@who.int, clearly indicating the relevant agenda item or subitem in the subject line. Non-State actors are asked to submit their statements to nsastatements@who.int.

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. Copies of all statements should be submitted at least one hour in advance by email to interpret@who.int. Clearly indicate the agenda item and name of the country delegation/group in the subject line of the email.      

Note: a statement of three minutes at normal speaking pace is equivalent to approximately 330 words.

6. Announcements

For IT support, please send an email to GBS-IT-Support@who.int.          

The 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/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=ar

Chinese:         https://player.4am.ch/who/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=zh
English:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=en

French:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=fr

Russian:          https://player.4am.ch/who/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=ru

Spanish:         https://player.4am.ch/who/20230521-30_WHA76/index.html?lang=es

The World Health Assembly application allows you to receive updates on the WHA76 programme of work and access documentation directly on your mobile device. Search for “WHO Events” in the Apple or Google Stores.

Documents for the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly can be accessed on the Internet through the WHO website (https://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha76.html) or scan the QR code below:

The WHO bookshop is located at the Palais des Nations on level 2 of the E building, at door 40, during the World Health Assembly. The latest publications and information products issued by WHO and its regional offices are available at a 50% discount. WHO souvenirs are also on sale, including items from a special collection of souvenirs to mark the 75th anniversary of the Organization. The WHO bookshop is open from Monday to Friday and from 09:00 to 16:30 at the Palais des Nations (during the Assembly) and at WHO Headquarters.

 

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