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TWO IMPORTANT MEETINGS
The Fifty-ninth
session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh,
from 22 to 25 August 2006. It was attended by representatives of all the eleven
Member States of the Region, United Nations and other agencies,
nongovernmental organizations having official relations with WHO, as well as
observers.
Addressing the
joint inaugural session of the Twenty-fourth meeting of Ministers of Health
and the Fifty-ninth session of the Regional Committee for South-East Asia in
Dhaka on 20 August 2006, H.E. Begum Khaleda Zia, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of
Bangladesh, called for stronger and more enduring cooperation among Member
countries of the Region to ensure greater equity in delivery of health care.
The Prime Minister urged delegates to introduce innovative financing methods
to make health care affordable and within reach of all households.
The Prime Minister
underlined the need for developing countries to be supported in evolving new
technology and methods, including technology transfer and revision of patent
laws, to ensure availability of cheap and high-quality medicines.
While recounting
the steady progress in the health sector made by Bangladesh, H.E. Begum Khaleda Zia acknowledged the
important contribution made by WHO in supporting the key national health
programmes.
In his address, Dr
Samlee Plianbangchang, Regional Director, WHO
South-East Asia Region, singled out the spread of avian influenza throughout
the world as the most daunting health challenge. Stating that efforts to
control it could not be made in isolation, without the cooperation of neighbouring countries and the international community,
the Regional Director called for continued vigilance by all for every hint
and sign of the virus changing its behaviour.
Dr Samlee emphasized the importance of addressing the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) towards
achieving poverty reduction. He underlined the importance of strengthening
the public health infrastructure by producing a balanced health workforce,
paying attention to health promotion and focusing on disease prevention and
control. He emphasized that placing health services at the grassroots level
would ensure that the health benefits reached the poor, the marginalized and
the underprivileged.
In his welcome
address, H.E. Dr Khandaker Mosharraf
Hossain, Minister of Health and Family Welfare,
Government of Bangladesh committed, on behalf of the health ministers, to
advance regional cooperation in health, and to take steps to ensure that the
health-related MDGs can be achieved by 2015.
Besides discussing
the Regional Director’s Annual Report, the Regional Committee deliberated
upon several important issues having regional implications including:
Regional strategy
for health promotion: Follow-up of sixth global conference on health
promotion; Alcohol consumption control- Policy options in the South-East Asia
Region; Regional initiatives for eradication/elimination of tropical diseases;
Strengthening health workforce in SEAR countries; International trade and
health; Regional Strategic Plan for Human Resource Development and Proposed
Regional Programme Budget 2008-2009.
NEW APPOINTMENTS
Dr Hamid Syed Jafari (USA) has
joined SEARO as Regional Adviser, Polio and VPD Surveillance, P.05 with the
ICP IVD 960 project. Dr Jafari obtained his MBBS
degree from the Sind
Medical College,
Karachi, Pakistan. He has worked as
Medical Epidemiologist, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Before joining SEARO, Dr Jafari was Medical
Officer, Polio Eradication, WHO/EMRO –Alexandria,
Cairo.
WE HEAR
…that Dr Arun
Thapa, has been promoted (effective 1 August 2006) to the post of Coordinator
(Immunization and Vaccine Development), P.6 upon reclassification of his
current post.
Congratulations Dr
T!
…that Mr Inder Khanna has been reassigned from his present post of
Assistant III (Head, C&R) to the post of Assistant III, ASU/SEARO,
effective 1 August 2006.
All the best in
your new assignment, Mr K!
…that Mr Vittal Rao
has been appointed Clerk-I, ND.3, PIA/DRD with effect from 24 August 2006.
Congratulations Mr
R!
SHORT-TERM CONSULTANTS/PROFESSIONALS
Dr Kin Shein, STP (EDM), P.5 with the ICP EDM 001 project
completed his five-and-a-half-month assignment on 30 August 2006.
Dr Jayanth Devasundaram has taken
up a five-and-a-half-month assignment as Short-term Professional – TB
(Epidemiology), (P.5), with the ICP TUB 994 project from 21 August 2006.
Dr Myo Thwe has taken up a
three-week assignment as Short-term Consultant (Hospital Evaluation)/Timor-Leste (P.5) with the TLS MNH 001 project effective 18
August 2006.
STAFF DEPARTURES
Dr G.J. Komba-Kono, Medical Officer (PHA), P.5 (WR-Bangladesh)
and Dr Bipin Verma, Technical Officer, Emergency
Health and Management, P.4, (WR Sri Lanka) retired from the services of the
Organization wef 1 September 2006.
Mrs Preeti Chandra (Clinical Nurse) left the services of the
Organization effective 1 September 2006 (see Letter to Editor on page 3).
SN wishes Dr Komba-Kono and Dr Verma an active and healthy retired
life, and all the best for Ms Chandra in her new endeavours.
WORKSHOP ON INTEGRATED JOB DESIGN AND
EVALUATION
A Workshop on
Integrated Job Design and Evaluation was organized by PER/SEARO from 1 to 3
August 2006. The objectives of the workshop were: (1) Application of New
Master Standards and Global Classification Standard for Non-HQ Duty Stations
- theory and class work; and (2) briefing/discussions with workshop
participants on post titles, broad banding, GS-level reform work, its new
definition and New Master Standards for General Service Staff.
Mr Hans Willmann, HR Specialist, Job Design and Evaluation,
WHO/HQ facilitated the conduct of the workshop.
The participants
comprised HR personnel and Staff Association representatives from ILO,
UNICEF, UNDP and WHO. A staff member from the office of the WHO
Representative, Bangladesh
was also nominated for this workshop.
Following the
workshop, Mr Hans Willmann also made a presentation
on 4 August which provided an overview of the rationale and principles of job
design and drafting of good post descriptions. In a separate session the same
day, he also demonstrated the operational aspects of an electronic post
description system (ePOD).
Mr Willmann’s contributions to these activities were
appreciated by all participants who benefited professionally from this
important staff development and learning (SDL) activity.
(Contributed by Mr
S. Ragupathi, AA-PER/ADM)
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Friends,
On the occasion of
my retirement after 31 years of close association, it is time to bid farewell
to all of you, wherever you may be. I would like to express my deep gratitude
and sincere appreciation to the Regional Directors, past and present, for
their encouragement, and to all of my colleagues and innumerable friends for
their camaraderie and support which I shall cherish forever.
Looking back, I
can recall the many wonderful years/experiences, as well as my personal
growth with the Organization. I came as a fresher from college, while I now
leave with years of experience and learning. With nostalgia I recall the
mid-seventies and the early eighties when everyone seemed to know everyone.
While growth is inevitable, the Organization has since grown into a much
larger entity. But sadly, the feelings of "one family" and
"oneness" seem to have lessened over the years!
I extend my
warmest wishes to you all, and look forward to being able to keep in touch.
Warmest regards,
Preeti Chandra.
PUBLICATIONS CORNER
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