Management and Governance matters: Management performance and Transformation in the South-East Asia Region

Abstract

This Agenda item provides updates on the progress made in advancing the Region’s attainment of the priorities of the Transformation Agenda and the Regional Director’s Flagships Programmes. The strong leadership and commitment of the WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, particularly expressed through the clear directives of the eight Regional Flagship Priority Areas, has allowed the Region to enhance its policies and technical support to Member States and strengthen focus on financing and staffing needs to match priorities and requirements. The Regional Director had charted the roadmap for her second term enunciating three focus areas for the Region: i. To sustain what has already been achieved in her first term since 2014; ii. To accelerate public health efforts in the Region to reach the goals of the Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030; and iii. To innovate and seek new science and technology in WHO’s work in public health. Accordingly, the SEA Region is very well positioned to contribute to the Thirteenth General Programme of Work and the Director-General’s Transformation Agenda. In addition, Decision WHA69(‎8)‎ requests the ‘Director-General and the Regional Directors to provide the biennial WHO country presence report for review by the Regional Committees, as an information document for the Health Assembly through the Executive Board and its Programme, Budget and Administration Committee’. Document A72/Inf.4, “WHO reform process, including the Transformation Agenda, and implementation of United Nations Development System reform: WHO presence in countries, territories and areas” presented at the Seventy-second World Health Assembly is attached as an information document to this Working Paper for perusal by Member States. The document provides an overview both of WHO’s current country presence and of the plans for an enhanced future presence for the Organization. The attached Working Paper was presented to the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for its review and recommendations. The HLP Meeting reviewed the paper and made the following recommendations for consideration by the Seventy-second Session of the Regional Committee: Action by WHO (‎1)‎ Ensure continued focus on country priorities and sustainable growth in the achievement of the Regional Flagship Priority Areas in alignment with the Thirteenth General Programme of Work and the Transformation Agenda. This Working Paper and the HLP Meeting recommendations are submitted to the Seventy-second Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia for its consideration