HEALTH MINISTER RECEIVED BY WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ Within the 65th World Health Assembly that concluded Saturday, the Minister of Health N.Khurelbaatar was received by Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Minister has congratulated Dr. Chan for being re-appointed for a second five-year term as the WHO Director-General, and spoke about Mongolia's health system. He has said he is satisfied with the cooperation between the government of Mongolia and the WHO, adding he wants to enhance the cooperation.

In response, Dr. Chan has asked how the health sector is financed in Mongolia and what measures are taken for equally and sufficiently distributing health aid and services to people. She has thanked the government of Mongolia for collaborating with the WHO and said her organization is ready to render a support to the health sector of Mongolia.

The Minister has officially invited Dr. Chan to pay a visit to Mongolia this year, and Dr. Chan has thankfully accepted the invitation.

The health Minister awarded the WHO head the prize named after Health Minister of Mongolia for her contributions to saving health of the world's population.

The 65th World Health Assembly concluded on May 26 in Geneva, Switzerland adopted 21 resolutions and three decisions on a broad range of health issues. The six days of discussions involved nearly 3,000 delegates, including health ministers and senior health officials from amongst the 194 WHO Member States, as well as representatives from civil society and other stakeholders. 

At the Assembly, Dr Margaret Chan was appointed for a second five-year term as the WHO Director-General with 98% of the Member States' votes. Dr. Chan's new term will begin on 1 July 2012 and continue until 30 June 2017. In her acceptance speech, Dr Chan pledged her continued commitment to improve the health of the most vulnerable. In addition, she said that the biggest challenge over the next five years will be to lead WHO in ways that will help maintain the unprecedented momentum for better health that marked the start of this century.

Member States discussed reform proposals in three areas: programmes and priority setting, governance and management. Delegates reaffirmed support for the Director-General's reform agenda, reiterating the need for comprehensive reform, for WHO to become more effective in its normative and technical assistance role and to improve accountability and transparency. They encouraged greater focus on results and enhanced governance. Proposals around improving monitoring of WHO's work were welcomed.

Delegates expressed broad acceptance of the proposed five categories: communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, health through the life-course, health systems, and preparedness, surveillance and response. Member States emphasized that WHO should increase the focus on the social, economic and environmental determinants of health. The delegates requested the Secretariat to show how health determinants will be given priority in the next draft of the Organization's General Programme of Work, which will be reviewed at the year's Regional Committee meetings.

B.Khuder

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