快猫短视频

The Executive Board, an elected group of health specialists from the WHO鈥檚
member states, made the demands at its annual meeting, which ended in Geneva on
22 January. The challenge follows widespread criticism of the WHO鈥檚 managers for
losing their way on global health while other UN agencies, particularly the
World Bank, take the lead (see 鈥淭he WHO strikes mid-life crisis鈥�, 11 January, p
12).

At the board meeting, Jo Ivey Boufford, the US representative,
complained that the WHO鈥檚 management had ignored the board鈥檚 earlier calls to
concentrate on these priorities in its plans for the next two years. 鈥淚n all but
the area of communicable diseases, our priorities have in fact suffered
reductions for the 1998/99 period,鈥� she said. This time, the board has given the
WHO鈥檚 managers a strict timetable: they must come up with a revised budget by
May when the member states gather for the World Health Assembly.

The board also insisted on a review of the work carried out by the
WHO鈥檚 six regional offices. Collectively, these offices, in Washington DC,
Copenhagen, Alexandria, Delhi, Manila and Brazzaville in Central Africa, have
been accused of inefficiency and a lack of accountability. Japan surprised other
rich nations by leading the attack. Previously, it has been reluctant to
criticise the WHO鈥檚 management, which is headed by a Japanese director-general,
Hiroshi Nakajima.

The WHO鈥檚 new global policy also suffered a barrage of criticism. The policy,
aimed at achieving 鈥淗ealth for All鈥� at some unspecified time in the future, is
still being drawn up. But the board told the management to speed up consultation
with member states and gave them until May to present a coherent and scientific
document, containing realistic targets.