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XIX
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N AMERICAN
S
ANI
T
ARYCONFERENCE
XXV
I
REGIONALCOMMITTEE
MEETING
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A.
September-October 1974
Provisional A_enda Item 9 CSP19/22 (Eng.) 20 August 1974 ORIGINAL: SPANISH
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE CO_ITTEE
(Submitted by Dr. Everardo Gonz_lez G_ivez (Panama), Chairman Of the Executive Committee)
In my capacity as Chairman of the Executive Committee, I have the honor to submit the report on the 71st and 72nd Meetings of that Governing
Body to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference. 71st MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The 71st Meeting of the Executive Committee was held in Washington, D.C., at the Headquarters of the Organization on Thursday, 18 October 1973, at
i0:00 a.mo The following Members and observers attended the Meeting: Members
Dr. Eduardo Enzo Galaretto Argentina Dr. RaGI C. Le_n
Dr. A. Vaughan Wells Barbados Mr. Alwyn S. Howell
Dr. Ross A. Chapman Canada Dr. A. J o de Villiers
Dr o Jorge Alderegu_a Vald_s-Brito Cuba Dr. Roberto Pereda Ch_vez
Mr. Julio Ballesta S_nchez
Dr. Gaston Deslouches Haiti Dr. HEctor R. Acu_a Monteverde Mexico
Dr. Carlos Diaz-Coller
Dr. Orontes Avil_s Nicaragua Dro Abraham Saied N_ez Panama
Dr. Jorge E. Montalv_n Observers
Dr. J. I. Chang Sing Pan Kingdom of the Netherlands Dr. S. Paul Ehrlich, Jr. United States of America
Dr. Jorge Andrade Venezuela
In the absence of officers of the Executive Committee eligible to preside over the Meeting, Dr. AeuEa (Mexico) was elected Chairman pro tempore, under Rule i0 of the Rules of Procedure.
After expressing thanks for his election, the Chairman pro tempore welcomed the representatives of the new Members of the Executive Committee, namely Argentina, Cuba and Nicaragua. The Meeting then elected the following officers: Dr. Everardo Gonz_lez G_ivez (Panama), Chairman; Dr. Eduardo Enzo Galaretto (Argentina), Vice Chairman, and Dro A. Vaughan Wells (Barbados), Rapporteur. Dr. Abraham Horwitz, Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, served as Secretary ex officio° In the absence of Dro Gonz_lez, Dr. Galaretto took the Chair.
Dr. Horwitz then presented the agenda of the Meeting, the topics being a review of the resolutions of the NXII Meeting of the Directing
Council of interest to the Executive Committee; the appointment of the Award Committee of the PAHO Award for Administration; and the date of the 72nd Meeting of the Executive Committee.
The agenda was approved, and Dr. Horwitz went on to comment on Resolution VI of the XXII Meeting of the Directing Council, Objectives and
Priorities in the Program of the Organization in the Light of the Recom-mendations of the III Special Meeting of Ministers of Health of the Americas,
paragraph 3 of which requests the Director to put into effect the recom-mendations concerning studies of costs and financing of the health sector.
CSPI9/22 (Eng.) Page 3
He pointed out that in accordance with Resolution XII, Provisional Draft of the Proposed Program and Budget Estimates of the Pan American Health Organization for 1975, the Secretariat was asked to make all pos-sible economies so as to reduce the percentage increase requested for 1975.
He next referred to Resolution XIII, Amendments to the Staff Rules of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, designed to bring them into line with the Staff Rules of WHO.
In connection with the item concerning the apointment of the Award
Committee of the PAHO Award for Administration, the Executive Committee
appointed the Representative of Argentina as a member of the Award Committee. With regard to the date of the 72nd Meeting of the Executive Committee, it was decided that it should be fixed by the Chairman of the Committee in consultation with the Director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau, the probable period being 1 to 12 July 1974.
72nd MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The 72nd Meeting of the Executive Committee was held in Washington, D.C., in the Headquarters building, from 1 through ii July 1974, as convened by
the Director of the Bureau in agreement with the Chairman of the Executive Committee.
The following Committee Members and observers attended the Meeting: Members
Dr. Ra_l C. Le6n Argentina Dr. Antonio Joss Gonz_lez
Dr. A. Vaughan Wells Barbados Mr. Alwyn S. Howell
Dr. A. J. de Villiers Canada Dro Roberto Pereda Ch_vez Cuba
Mr. Julio Ballesta S_nchez
Mr. Hugo Yedra D_az
Dr. Jos_ Mario van Severen E1 Salvador
Dr. H_ctor R. AcuEa Monteverde Mexico
Dr. Luis Peregrina Pell6n Dr. Guillermo Cant_ Nu_o
Dr. OrontesAvil_s Nicaragua Dr. Everardo Gonz_lez G_ivez Panama Observers
Dr. Robert de Caires United States of America Mr. Edward P. Noziglia
Dr. Abraham Drobny Inter-American Development Bank
Mr. Humberto Olivero
Mr. O. Howard Salzman Organization of American States
In the absence of Dr. Eduardo Enzo Galaretto (Argentina), Vice Chairman of the Executive Committee, Dr. Raul Co Le6n (Argentina) was ap-pointed Vice Chairman pro tempore.
The following were elected officers of the Committee:
Chairman: Dr. Everardo Gonz_lez G_Ivez Panama Vice Chairman
pro tempore: Dr. RaGl C. Leon Argentina Rapporteur: Dr. A. Vaughan Wells Barbados Secretary
ex officio: Dro Abraham Horwitz Director, Pan American Sanitary Bureau
The Executive Committee held 15 plenary sessions and a closing ses-sion. Eleven sessions were devoted to a detailed examination of the proposed program and budget of the Organization, prepared by the Director pursuant
to Article 14-C of the Constitution.
CSPI9/22 (Eng.) Page 5
Two working groups were set up. The first, consisting of the Rep-resentatives of Argentina, Canada and Cuba, examined the situation in regard to the collection of quota contributions and drafted the relevant resolution. The second group, consisting of the Representatives of Argentina, Canada, Mexico and Nicaragua, drafted a resolution on the "First Intersectoral
Meet-ing on the Health of Man in the Americas."
Request of the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas for Membership_ in the Pan American Health Organization
The Executive Committee took note of the request of the Government of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas for membership in the Pan American Health Organization, and warmly recommended to the Conference that it give favorable
consideration to the request.
Dates of the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, XXVI Meeting of the Regional Committee of the World Health Organization for the Americas
By Resolution II, the Committee authorized the Director to convene the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, XXVI Meeting of the Regional Committee
of the World Health Organization for the Americas, from 30 September to ii October 1974.
It also approved the provisional agenda for the Conference as prepared by the Director, adding the topics proposed by the Members of the Executive
Committee during the Meeting°
Financial Report of the Director and RepOrt of the External Auditor for 1973 The Executive Committee took note of the Financial Report of the Director and Report of the External Auditor for 1973 and resolved to transmit it to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, at the same time commending the Director for having achieved and maintained a sound financial situation. Report on the Collection of Quota Contributions
The Executive Committee paid special attention to the situation in regard to the collection of quota contributions, arrears of which create serious difficulties for the development of the Organization's health pro-grams. Following a broad interchange of ideas, the Chairman, as reported above, appointed a working group to draft a resolution bringing the problem to the attention of the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference and making the relevant recommendations. The draft resolution was unanimously approved. Proposed Program and Budget of the Pan American Health Organization for 1975
In connection with this topic the Committee made a detailed study
A similar analysis was made of the country and intercountry projects, and those of multinational centers. Following the discussion, the Committee resolved to recommend to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference that it approve the Proposed Program and Budget for 1975 appearing in Official Document 129, at a level of $27,440,160.
Approval was similarly given to the Proposed Program and Budget of the World Health Organization for the Region of the Americas for 1976-1977, and the Provisional Draft of the Proposed Program and Budget Estimates of the Pan American Health Organization for 1976, both contained in Official Document 129.
PAHO Award for Administration
The Executive Committee was informed that the Governments had not proposed candidates for the Award, and it was therefore resolved to take note of the unanimous decision of the Award Committee declaring the Award
for 1974 void and to transmit the report of the Award Committee to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference°
Representation of the Executive Committee at the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, _ZfVI Meeting of the Regional Committee of WHO for the Americas
The Executive Committee appointed Dro Ra_l C. Le6n of Argentina to represent it at the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, XXVI Meeting of the Regional Committee of WHO for the Americas, in the event that the Chairman of the Committee was unable to attend.
Amendments to the Staff Rules and Staff Regulations of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau
The Executive Committee confirmed the approval given individually by its Members, making the new annual salary scale effective as of I January
1974, and authorized the Director to transfer a maximum of $175,000 from Part V to other parts of the PAHO regular budget for 1974 as necessary to meet the additional personnel costs. The Committee also approved the
amendments to the Staff Rules of PASB designed to maintain uniformity with the WHO Staff Rules.
Salaries of the Assistant Director _ Deputy Diregtor_ and Director of the Bureau
CSPI9/22 (Eng_) Page 7
VII Inter-American Meetin$_ at the Ministerial Level_ on Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Zoonoses Control
The Executive Committee listened to a report on the VII Inter-American Meeting, at the Ministerial Level, on Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Zoonoses
Control, held in April 1974 in Trinidad and Tobagoo All the Members expressed their satisfaction at the close collaboration achieved by the ministries
of agriculture and health with a view to controlling the animal diseases in question, which were of importance to human health and ultimately had a great bearing on socioeconomic development. It therefore recommended to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference that it take due note and express its appreciation to the ministries of both agriculture and health for the collaboration achieved in that important field of public health°
First Intersectoral Meeting on the Health of Man in the Americas
The Delegation of Argentina pointed out that in its opinion it was necessary to urge Governments to intensify the efforts they were making to
fulfill the Ten-Year Health Plan for the Americas approved by the III Special Meeting of Ministers of Health in October 19729 paying special attention
to the present lack of minimum coverage of health services for the very same marginal population which lacked coverage in other social sectors, such as employment, social security, housing, education, and nutrition. The Executive Committee discussed the item fully and decided to recommend to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference that it consider the possibility of convening a Meeting on the Health of Man in the Americas with a view to facilitating intersectoral coordination and achieving the fulfillment of the goals laid down for the health sector by the Ministers of Health of the Americas= It also requested the Director to propose a date and program for the Meeting and to report to the Conference on the administrative and financial implications of that proposal°
The Committee also took note of the offer by the Government of Argentina that the meeting be held in Buenos Aires, and resolved to place the offer before the Conference.
Control of the Bacteriolo$ical Quality of Drinking Water
In the course of the review of the program and budget of the
Organization, the Executive Committee expressed concern about the epidemic outbreaks of enteric diseases which had occurred in various countries of
Method of Evaluating the Ten-Year Health Plan for the Americas
The Executive Committee examined the report of the Director on the steps being taken by countries and by the Organization to comply with the provisions of Resolution VI of the XXII Meeting of the Directing Council of PAHO, endorsing the recommendations of the Working Group on Evaluation of the Ten-Year Health Plan, and the method prepared in consequence.
The Committee resolved to urge the Governments to endeavor to review their health policy in the light of the Ten-Year Health Plan for the Americas, and recommended that the Director transmit the scheme and forms for the
proposed evaluation to the Governments and give them any assistance they might require°
Studies of Sources and Uses_ Methods of Financing, and Costs of the Health Sector
The Executive Committee heard and discussed with great interest the report of the Director on the measures being taken in compliance with Resolution Vl, adopted by the Directing Council at its XXII Meeting, con-cerning systematic studies of financing, expenditures and costs of the health sector in the countries. It recognized that the studies should be
comparable at the continental level and that that made it necessary for them to be carried out according to a homogeneous design for the Region. It therefore resolved to urge the countries to organize national study groups on the subject, along the lines proposed by a working group set up by the Director, and requested the Director to transmit the documentation to the countries and assist them at their request.
Nursing Goals for the Decade
In connection with the presentation of the program and budget
estimates, the Executive Committee heard a report on the nursing situation in the Americas, which brought out the magnitude of the effort to be made by the Governments if the goals laid down by the Ministers of Health for the decade were to be achieved° It therefore resolved to recommend to the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference that it ask Governments to re-examine the nursing manpower situation in relation to the needs of the services, stressing the urgent need to train nursing manpower adequately to enable it to provide the best possible service to the population in need.
Form of Presentation of the Program and Budget of PAHO
CSPI9/22 (Eng.) Page 9
Study on the Authority of the Executive Committee to Address Itself Directly to Governments
The Executive Committee examined the report of the Director on the authority of the Executive Committee to address itself directly to Govern-ments, including an opinion by the Legal Adviser of the World Health
Organization. It recognized that the Committee had been following that
practice with the tacit approval of the Directing Council and the Conference. It therefore resolved to request the XIX Pan American Sanitary Conference, in view of the Executive Committee's long and consistent practice of ad-dressing itself directly to Governments, to reaffirm its support of the practice, particularly in view of the provisions of Article 14-E of the PA/_O Constitution°
Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama
The Executive Committee heard a lengthy and well-documented account of the work of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama and recognized the desirability of approaching food and nutrition problems on a multisectoral basis not confined to those aspects which are the direct responsibility of the health sector° It resolved to congratulate INCAP on its valuable contribution to the cause of health and nutrition in the Hemisphere and to recommend that it maintain and develop even further its teaching, social and economic study, research, and nutrition education programs. It also recommended to the Director that he continue to explore ways and means of giving INCAP greater financial stability through the various systems of international cooperation.
Pan American Center for Human Ecology and Health
The Executive Committee examined the Director's report on the steps taken with a view to establishing the Pan American Center for Human Ecology and Health in Mexico. Recognizing the important role which the Center would play in identifying, evaluating and seeking solutions for health problems related to the environment, it resolved to thank the Government of Mexico once again for its offer of support and collaboration in setting up the Center. It also requested the Director to continue his efforts with a view to setting up the Center as early as possible.
Cholera
special attention to laboratory diagnosis of the disease. It also recom
-mended the countries to ensure that adequate reserves of antibiotics and
rehydration fluids were available for the treatment of cholera cases, and
it requested the Organization to coordinate the activities of epidemiological
surveillance and control of cholera and to continue to provide countries
with technical advisory services at their request°
Other Matters
A number of the Members of the Executive Committee expressed concern
about the need to define the functions of the Committee and to determine
whether the procedures actually used by it were the most effective to enable
it to fulfill its constitutional responsibilities. To this end, the Director
was recommended to prepare a document with a view to facilitating the role
and functions of the Executive Committee, especially in the review of the
program and budget of the Organization, for presentation to the 73rd Meeting
of the Executive Committee.
This report is made in fulfillment of the mandate entrusted to me
by my colleagues Members of the Executive Committee, and I should like to
express to them publicly my sincere thanks for the collaboration they gave
