Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Geneva (Fides Service) – The 56th session of the World Health Organisation opens today in Geneva and it will close on 28 May. Every year 192 WHO members states attend this Assembly. On the agenda this year the elimination of small pox and poliomyelitis, revision of international health regulation, the state of strategies for the development of children and adolescents in poor areas of the world, intellectual property rights and access to essential medicines in countries deprived of medicine. During the meeting WHO will also ratify the appointment of Director General South Korean Jong Wook Lee proposed for the position in January by WHO executive council. To fight a serious increase in tobacco consumption the Assembly will adopt a Convention on Tobacco Control, WHO’s first global treatise proposed in 1999. WHO has also planned a series of daily media conferences on major matters of public health in the world, including updating on the situation of SARS virus, tobacco control, health challenges to face in Iraq and the prevention of violence. These are only some of the questions which will be discussed. AP (Fides Service 19/5/2003 EM lines 21 Words: 231)
