Subscriber Alert: WHO Board Considers Key Reform Paper

The World Health Organization Executive Board today is being asked to approve a draft chair’s summary of this week’s Board discussions on the path to sweeping reform of the UN agency. But the document is unusual, according to some observers, in that it addresses major changes without being considered a negotiation or decision. [Update: this draft was approved by the Board with only the change of deadline for comments to 17 February.]

The document outlines plans for programmes and priority-setting at the WHO, including a meeting to be held at WHO on 27-28 February, open to member states. It also describes the plan for addressing changes to governance of the WHO, managerial reforms, and preparations for the May meetings of the governing bodies.

A copy of the draft is available here.

The way forward could have significant impact on what WHO works on in the future, as well as how it is funded and governed.

The chair’s summary was originally presented this morning orally, but several member states, including Switzerland, China and the United States, requested to see the proposal in print form, even as a non-negotiating “non-paper”. This was agreed readily by WHO Director General Margaret Chan, but with the insistence that it not lead to a negotiation.

Action will be taken this afternoon.