Guyana health minister assumes presidency of World Health Assembly
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| Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2008 |
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By Kevin Lindon
Caribbean Net News Guyana Correspondent
Email: kevin@caribbeannetnews.com
GEORGETOWN, Guyana: Guyana’s health minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy has been named president of the 61st World Health Assembly, which opened on Monday at the United Nations Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
He is the second Caribbean Community (CARICOM) appointee to this position in 30 years.
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Guyana’s Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
GINA Photo |
In his address to the Assembly, Ramsammy identified a series of health challenges facing the world, among which are climate change, food production and the high cost of living, the escalating rate of NCDs, the HIV/AIDS and the staggering rates of child mortality, injuries and violence, especially violence against women.
The assembly president also highlighted the negative effects of migration on the human resource capabilities of health services in the developing countries.
The health minister declared that while alternatives must be found for fossil fuels as part of the interventions to reverse global warming, conversion of land from food production to bio-fuel production is a major threat to public health.
"We need an agreement to ensure conversion of land from food production to bio-fuel does not precipitate further a food crisis and, thus, a public health crisis. The WHO must take a lead in advocating a prudent way forward," Ramsammy said
In stressing the need for greater emphasis to be placed on mental health, Ramsammy stated that "there is no health without mental health" and advocated for cost-effective, evidence informed mental health care to all those who require it without discrimination and to ensure equal access to care for those with mental illness.
"One preventable child death must be considered a calamity. How then do we accept ten million child deaths per year?" the minister asked, stressing the need to focus on preventable child deaths
Ramsammy also urged the WHO to advocate for greater vaccine productivity to meet the world’s demands and to ensure pre-qualification mechanisms are strengthened to accommodate greater input by fledgling producers.
The minister pointed out that Guyana supports the quest for high quality vaccines, but also is of the view that existing mechanisms are designed to reduce competition.
He pointed out that developing countries such as India, Brazil and Cuba had proven that they have the capacity and commended GAVI for procuring about 40% of their vaccines from some of these sources.
Also speaking at the opening session were Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General World Health Organization and Ms Jane Halton, Minister of Health, Australia and outgoing President of the World Health Assembly.
The World Health Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), which meets in Geneva in May each year. It is attended by approximately 193 Member States and their delegations. | | | | Reads : 117 |
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