Reporting back: 146 WHO Executive Board
From the 4 to 6 February 2020, the 34 Member States of the WHO Executive Board met in Geneva to review progress on Primary Health Care, NCDs, Universal Health Coverage (UHC), cervical caner elimination, and a proposal for a decade on healthy ageing.
Agenda item 6, document EB146/5
The Primary Health Care (PHC) agenda item sets out a draft operational framework for Primary Health Care, focusing on the major levers and monitoring and evaluation, following on from resolution WHA72.2. Its goal is to support countries in scaling up national implementation of PHC, recognising that this is the foundation for effective universal health coverage (UHC). The strategy should have an explicit focus on equity and solidarity and builds on the Astana PHC operational framework, released in 2018.
The framework recognises the importance of PHC across the spectrum of care from prevention/ health promotion to rehabilitation and palliative care. It identifies 14 levers to help drive change. These include the development of policies, allocation of resources, development of models of care, health workforce, physical infrastructure and engagement with multi-stakeholder groups (particularly communities). The report also explicitly recognises the role of Ministries of Health in creating enabling environments for health.
The board noted the report and WHO is developing a framework for monitoring and evaluating PHC, with indicators aligned with the draft operational framework.
Agenda item 7.1, document EB146/6
The report follows on from the UN HLM on UHC and shared key findings from WHO’s 2019 UHC monitoring report and identifies next steps for WHO. It underscored the importance of PHC as a foundation for effective, efficient and equitable health systems, supplemented by emergency, hospital-based and crisis care. It also prioritises a life course approach highlights that, when organised appropriately, PHC had help health systems respond to changing disease burdens.
WHO intends to establish a new special programme on PHC and by improving the efficiency of work with partners, using platforms like the global action plan for health lives and well-being for all. It will also continue to monitor progress through GPW13, the framework for PHC (agenda item 6) and reporting back to the UNGA in 2023.
The EB noted the report.
The agenda item responds to the WHA72(11) decision to prepare and update menus of policy options and interventions for Member States and to address the need to prioritise early detection, as well as prevention and treatment of NCDs. The report includes a proposed set of evidence-based cost-effective interventions to promote mental health and wellbeing, and next steps towards outlining policy options to reduce the health impact of air pollution.
Annex 3 to the report provides a report on the global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol’s implementation and pro proposes a number of next steps including the development of global targets (in line with existing goals and SAFER package), improved monitoring and surveillance, and cross-governmental coordination. In recognition of the limited progress made to date, a decision was proposed by a coalition of Member States which asks WHO to:
- review the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol and report to the 166th session of the Executive Board in 2030 for further action
- develop an action plan (2022–2030) to effectively implement the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders (by the 75th World Health Assembly)
- develop a technical report on the harmful use of alcohol related to cross-border alcohol marketing, advertising and promotional activities, including those targeting youth and adolescents
- adequately resource the work on the harmful use of alcohol
Annex 4 explores the promotion of early detection of NCDs and risk factors. The annex notes the general decline in the probability of dying from an NCD but doesn’t recognise that this global decline masks significant inequities, particularly for cancer. The text recognises the untapped potential that early detection could have, as well as the international commitments and need to strengthen capacities if premature mortality from NCDs is to be reduced. It draws heavily on advice and data for cancer, particularly cervical cancers, and indicates that the secretariat is working on:
- Technical packages and service delivery models as global public health goods to support scaling up early diagnosis and screening – with technical consultations and global policy dialogue starting in 2020
- Extension of the OneHealth Tool (the development of a cancer costing tool)
- Update screening guidance for metabolic and physiological risk factors and selected cancers
- Guidance on registries to monitor progress on cervical cancer elimination and a clinic-based register of NCDs to track NCDs in PHC.
The board noted the report and agreed the decision on alcohol.
Agenda item 14, document EB146/15
The report summarises progress made in the implementation of the global strategy and plan of action. Key aspects for cancer include work to provide technical advice and policy support to Member States on how to safeguard national health interests while adhering to international obligations. Working in collaboration with other organisations, WHO signed a statement promoting local production of medicines and other health technologies and encouraged MPP to expand their remit to cover the spectrum of medicines contained within the model EML.
Following on from discussions around the transparency resolution, the WHO is working to update its guideline on country pharmaceutical pricing policies (for 2020), including recommendations on promoting price transparency, as well as the development of a digital tool for measuring availability and affordability of medicines. It is also working to establish mechanisms to monitor OOP spending on health services and products.
The board noted the report.
Read UICC’s statement here.
Agenda item 17, document EB146/23
The report proposes a Decade of Healthy Ageing 2020-2030 with regular progress reports to be submitted to the WHAs. The priorities proposed include increasing healthy life expectancy, age-friendly cities and communities and reduction of dependence on care, and stakeholders requested that the Decade focus on improved engagement with older people, better understanding of older peoples’ needs, and developing and strengthening health and long-term care.
The board noted the report.
Agenda item 22.1, document EB146/33
The report sets out series of recommended changes to the mechanisms for involving non-State actors (NSAs) in governing body meetings. Following on from a consultation with NSAs (both in Official Relations and not), the Secretariat notes that there is dissatisfaction with the current engagement processes. The proposals put forwards are:
- Organisation of an informal meeting during the PBAC committee, ahead of the WHA
- Development of 5 constituency statements on certain agenda items, which would be allowed equivalent time to joint Member State statements. Individual organisation statements could be posted online ahead of the debate. Where NSAs do not elect for joint statements, a maximum of 7 oral statements could be delivered (on a first-come-first-served basis).
- Limit of 3 statements delivered orally
- Limit the size of WHA delegations to 25 individuals
The board noted the report
Last update
Thursday 12 January 2023