Geneva, 25 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - The World Health Organization (WHO) Member States approved a plan for emergency response reform that establishes a new Health Emergencies Program. This program adds operational capabilities for outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies that are complemented by the traditional technical and normative roles of the Organization.
The new program is designed to deliver rapid, predictable, and comprehensive support to countries and communities as they prepare for, face, or recover from emergencies caused by any type of hazard to the human health, whether disease outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters, or conflicts. The objective is to combine management of responses to natural disasters, humanitarian disasters, and complex epidemic outbreaks. As leader of the Global Health Cluster, the organization will be backed by the strengths and experiences of a broad range of partners and of its Member States.
In order to fulfill these new responsibilities, delegates agreed on a US$ 494 million budget for the program for 2016-2017. This is an increase of US$ 160 million in the existing Program Budget for WHO's work in emergencies.
Delegates welcomed the progress that WHO has made in developing the new Health Emergencies Program, particularly noting the new implementation plan and timeline, as well as the establishment of an Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee.
In this regard, delegates encouraged ongoing collaboration with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Matters so as to align the management of disease outbreaks and other emergencies with the mechanisms and capabilities of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.
Delegates also requested the WHO Director-General to submit a report to the 70th World Health Assembly, to be held next year, on progress made toward the establishment and operationalization of the program.
Position of the Region of the Americas
In a joint statement, the delegates of the countries of the Americas expressed their approval for the progress achieved in this matter and their support for the new WHO Health Emergencies Program. They also recognized that, since 1976, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), WHO's Regional Office for the Americas, has had an Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief Program, "a proven, effective mechanism capable of responding to emergencies and disasters in the Region of the Americas, and its work within the WHO framework."
Taking this into account, the countries of the region stressed that their support for the new WHO program is provided "in the understanding that PAHO's Program will continue to operate with a view to serving fully the needs of the Member States of the region, and will work and coordinate with the WHO Program as appropriate."
