By NNN-KUNA,
Geneva : Committee A of the 61st World Health Assembly has endorsed the resolution on the Global Immunization Vision and Strategy, which received wide support, said Kuwait’s Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health Affairs Dr. Ali Al-Saif on Thursday.
The official was speaking to KUNA on the sidelines of the meeting, which kicked off on May 19 and will conclude on the 24th of this month. The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization.
Al-Saif added that more than 40 delegations took the floor this morning to describe the status of immunization in their countries, their efforts, future plans, and successes.
He added that Committee A had approved Wednesday a draft resolution on the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR).
Member states, he said, called on the WHO Secretariat to further support the signatories of the IHR in the establishment of national surveillance and response systems, as well as for capacity at airports, ports, and ground crossings.
In addition, member states requested more frequent reporting on progress of IHR implementation, and continued support from WHO on the maintenance of communications tools for national IHR focal points.
These tools include restricted access web site commonly known as the IHR Event Information Site, dedicated to national IHR focal points, on which significant public health events are posted.
He stressed that the momentum among member states to fulfill IHR requirements was high.
Meanwhile, during the meeting, Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health Daisy Mafubelu said that the 68 percent global reduction in measles deaths, in just six years of accelerated activities, pointed to the potential for such achievements in other areas of immunization.
“Too many of our children are dying of diseases that are vaccine-preventable,” she added.
Mafubelu welcomed the progress achieved so far, but warned that unless more efforts were made, the full potential of immunization to reduce under-five child mortality would not be realized.