The World Open Health Assembly (WOHA) 2010
Health is a concern of everyone. From personal physical fitness to the threats posed by growing global pandemics, all people share an interest in improving the well-being of themselves and others. We are all part of 'World Health'. The UN body responsible for this is the World Health Organization (WHO) which is governed by the World Health Assembly (WHA), its supreme decision-making body. It generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from all 193 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the WHO. The sixty-third WHA, from 17-21 May, will have a special emphasis on the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals. It will also address some fifty other health issues of concern to the WHO. What is discussed and decided at the World Health Assembly will have an impact on the well-being of all. Yet very few people outside of the Delegates, (governments of 193 countries), WHO personnel and a handful of NGOs are engaged with this meeting as 'stake-holders' - in fact, the vast majority of the world population has never even heard of any of this.
As health is everyone's concern, this important WHA should be more accessible to a wider audience. Towards this, the first World Open Health Assembly (WOHA) is being held, online, to connect people from around the globe with the WHA in Geneva. WOHA 2010, organized by volunteers mainly from two different spheres: public health activists and open-source IT developers, was conceived just a week before this year's WHA. But in face of growing pandemics and shrinking resources for health investments, a rapid-response is underway, and a 'beta version' will go online in time for the Official Opening by Dr. Chan, DG of WHO, on the 17th of May. The World Open Health Assembly connects the high level meeting in Geneva with anyone who wants to learn more about health policy and practice, encourages more people to get involved in improving the world's health, and have a voice that can be heard by the decision-makers.
The World Open Health Assembly 2010 will offer live Twitter and RSS feeds, blogs, background documentation from WHO and civil society organizations, and embedded clips from You-Tube. With the help of a few people in common cause, this first (rushed) WOHA will begin the building of WOHA 2011, so that next year's World Health Assembly assembles more of the world. Click here to see/put comments. Spread the word, visit the World Open Health Assembly (WOHA). From 17 May, 'Just click to open health.
World Health Assembly from home.
Greetings from Maputo. Long away from Geneva. I have been reading this week on WHA thanks to this site. Here we have only 500 doctors for 22 millions of citizens. So health always large considerationn and infoformation not available. So i say again thanks you for WOHA.
asamolnar34@gmail.com
Have Your Say, Today!!
In a few hours, the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA) will begin in Geneva. Important issues will be discussed and decided by the 193 members (governments) of the WHO. A small group of volunteer activists will be twitting live from the meeting in a new way to open the WHA to greater participation from the communities. You are warmly invited to the World OPEN Health Assembly (WOHA)- follow what goes on at the WHA and have your say. The team in Geneva will try to get your twit, blog, email, video clip, or sms message to the appropriate decision-maker. Tell Dr. Chan and the World's Health Ministers what you think, and what we all need. "Nothing about us, without us!" by internet. Visit www.imaxi.org to learn more. See you, hear you, read you soon!
For the people by the people and of the people
The WHO has become a secret organisation that is - of some people by some people and for some people only. The fact the WHA is such a high level protocol based affair where there is no transparency or accountability is a clear indication that is like the annual congress to rubber stamp what the WHO does and plans to do. The WHO uses the ministries of health to do their work to achieve its goals and objectives and farms out money to keep the senior ministry officials in check by the WHO staff in the country and regional office thru program support and frequent overseas visits to conferences and meetings of which there is very little value at homes since only the politicians and sycophants are selected to be sent. The WHO staff are a mutual admiration society only concerned with padding their pockets and that of their friends thru high paid consultancies producing useless reports that are mostly irrelevant. The only thing good are th standard they set but then the WHO does not build any capacity for these standard to be implemented thus continue to justify spending of funds allocated to the country to expensive consultants. The WHA annually reinforces and validates this process and further entrenches this methods of controlling the ministries of health and other stakeholders. Witness the mayhem by the recent H1N1 pandemic under the auspices of the WHO. Thank Imaxi for making it from a secret WHA to a more transparent WOHA. Thank you
Hmmm, interesting, but...
Although I agree with many of the many points you raise, I'm not sure that its the WHO who controls the Member states. I suspect it is a marriage of self interest. Corruption serves both equally. The Governments use health funding for enhancng their power, often though very corrupt practices. WHO allows this as it reinforces the power of WHO. If governments could be held accountable, the WHO could be too. And the same works the other way, the WHO could push governments to be accountable, but they don't. A partnership in self interest, using health for personal profit. But this is a vital discussion to start having, and I thank you for elaborating these thought provoking points. Jess in SA.