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67th World Health Assembly kicks off in Geneva
The World Health Organizationâs (WHO) annual assembly opened in Geneva on Tuesday, as a new global survey reveals that WHO is one of the worldâs two most highly-rated international organizations
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he World Health Organization's (WHO) annual assembly opened in Geneva on Tuesday, as a new global survey reveals that WHO is one of the world's two most highly-rated international organizations.
A poll commissioned by Gallup says 72 percent or approximately two-thirds of respondents it surveyed say that they have a good opinion of WHO and its close partner, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
President of the 66th World Health Assembly, Shigeru Omi of Japan, will open the meeting today, after which delegates will elect a new president and officers. WHO director general Margareth Chan will address the assembly at 2:30 p.m. local time (Tuesday evening Jakarta time).
'More than 3,000 delegates are expected to attend the 67th assembly,' WHO said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
High-level representatives from WHO's 194 member states will discuss and make decisions on key global health issues over the next six days.
They include efforts to prevent and control non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers and chronic lung disease; new global strategy and targets to prevent and control tuberculosis; and proposals to improve the health of patients with viral hepatitis.
Other issues to be discussed in the meeting are a draft action plan for newborn health; progress on WHO's global strategy for maternal and young child nutrition; and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and the role of health on the post-2015 development agenda.
"Delegates will also discuss ways to tackle antimicrobial drug resistance; efforts to improve access to essential medicines and strengthen the systems that regulate medicines; management of autism; and protecting more people from vaccine-preventable diseases," WHO said in the release. (ebf)
