WHO Chief Calls for Strengthened National Health Systems

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, September 08, 2003

WHO Chief Calls for Strengthened National Health Systems

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World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Lee Jong-wook Monday stressed the need to reinforce national health systems, saying that is by far the most effective way to help achieve goals of the member countries.

"Everything we are doing is about reinforcing national health systems. Our work everywhere is important, but the real center of it has to be countries," Lee told the 54th session of the WHO regional committee for the Western Pacific in Manila.

"We have to give our country offices more people, more realistic budgets, and more authority. At the same time, we also have to ensure sound management and financial practices, as well as transparent budgeting," he said.

Lee said he wants to see these changes come through in the 2006-2007 budget. "Having worked for 20 years in WHO, I can see very clearly that strengthening our work in countries is by far the most effective way to help achieve the goals of our member states," he asserted.

The WHO's members in the region have signaled that they want the United Nations body to allocate more funds to the region as ittries to deal with a possible resurgence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and threats from other new infectious diseases.

The region, for which 71 million US dollars have been approved by WHO for the 2004-2005 period, accounts for only three to four percent of the organization's budget, according to Dr. Shigeru Omi,WHO regional director for the Western Pacific.

The WHO chief said health systems depend most of all on skilled and dedicated personnel, but they face a major challenge posed by "the brain drain."

"We will be working closely with countries on innovative methods to train, deploy and supervise health workers, with particular emphasis on the community and primary health care level," he said, adding that is where they can make the swiftest progress in getting results.

During the five-day meeting, delegates from 37 members in the region are expected to discuss policies, programs and directions for the future on a host of health concerns, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, SARS, child health, and tobacco control.

The meeting is also expected to devise a regional strategy for improving access to essential medicines in the region in the next five years.

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