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Journal No. 1     9 November 2020

The Journal is intended to give delegates, representatives and other participants advance indications of the Health Assembly’s tentative programme of work. The Journal does not constitute an official record of the Health Assembly’s proceedings. The Journal is published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish on every working day during the Health Assembly.

 

N° 1 Programme of meetings for Monday, 9 November 2020

Time

Plenary
Virtual Room 1

Commission A
Virtual Room 1

Commission B
Virtual Room 2

Others
Virtual Room 3

10:00

First Plenary meeting

 

 

 

Immediately after conclusion of Item 1.3 in Plenary

 

 

 

General Committee

 

Immediately after conclusion of General Committee

Second Plenary meeting

 

 

 

14:00

 

First meeting

First meeting

 

Table of contents

1.      Date and working hours

2.      Tentative programme of work of the Health Assembly

3.      Arrangement for the conduct of discussion in meetings

4.      Announcements

Interpretation

Interpretation will be provided in the official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) to help delegates to follow the discussions. Delegates are requested to speak clearly and at a normal speaking pace to enable clear and accurate interpretation through the virtual platform. To facilitate this further, delegates are requested to submit copies of all statements at least one hour in advance by email to interpret@who.int.  Clearly indicate the name of the country delegation/group and agenda item in the subject line of the email.        

 

Note: a statement of three minutes at normal speaking pace is equivalent to approximately 330 words.

 

Delegates participating remotely are also particularly requested to:

·        Use a high-quality headset and ensure a soundproof and echo-free room

·        Adjust speech to account for the remote environment (speak clearly, avoid excessive use of acronyms, speak into the microphone)

·        Speak at a moderate pace (110 words/minute)

1.  Date and working hours

The resumed session of the Seventy-third World Health Assembly will open on Monday, 9 November at 10:00. The working hours of the Health Assembly are from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 14:00 to 17:00 (CET).

 

The resumed session of the Health Assembly will close no later than Saturday, 14 November 2020, as decided by the Executive Board.

2.  Tentative programme of work of the Health Assembly

Monday, 9 November 2020

First Plenary meeting

10:00

Item 1 continued

Opening of the resumed session of the Health Assembly

Item 1.1

Appointment of the Committee on Credentials

Item 1.3 continued

Election of the five Vice-Presidents, the Chairs of the main committees, and establishment of the General Committee

General Committee[1]

Immediately after conclusion of Item 1.3 in Plenary

Examination and submission to the Health Assembly of recommendations on such questions as:

-     Consideration of any supplementary items to the agenda

-     Initial allocation to the main committees of items of the agenda

-     Deferment of any item to a future Health Assembly

-     Programme of work of the Health Assembly

Second Plenary meeting

Immediately after conclusion of General Committee

Item 1.4 continued

Adoption of the agenda and allocation of items to the main committees

–  Documents A73/1 Rev.1, A73/1 Add.2, A73/42 and A73/INF./5

Item 2

Report of the Executive Board on its 145th and 146th sessions

–  Document A73/2

First meeting of Committee A

14:00

Item 10

Opening of the Committee

Item 13 (Pillar 2)
Items 13.1 and 13.2 to be taken together with Item 14

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 13.1

Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme

–  Document A73/10

·       Item 13.2

WHO’s work in health emergencies

–  Documents A73/11, A73/INF./4 and EB146/2020/REC/1, resolution EB146.R10

Item 14
Item 14 to be taken together with Items 13.1 and 13.2

International Health Regulations (2005)

–  Document A73/14

First meeting of Committee B

14:00

Item 16

Opening of the Committee

Item 18 (Pillar 4)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 18.1

Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/4, A73/16 Rev.1 and A73/36

·       Item 18.2

Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/17 and A73/37

·       Item 18.3

Geneva buildings renovation strategy

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.4

WHO reform

–  Documents A73/4, A73/18 and A73/19

·       Item 18.5

Evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization

–  Documents A73/20, A73/20 Add.1 and A73/41

·       Item 18.6

Data and innovation: draft global strategy on digital health

–  Documents A73/4  and EB146/2020/REC/1, decision EB146(15)

·       Item 18.7

Human resources: annual report

–  Documents A73/21 and A73/40

·       Item 18.8

Report of the International Civil Service Commission

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.9

Amendments to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules

–  Documents A73/22 and EB146/2020/REC/1, resolution EB146.R5

Tuesday, 10 November 2020

Second and third meetings of Committee A

10:00 and 14:00

Item 13 continued (Pillar 2)
Items 13.1 and 13.2 to be taken together with Item 14

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 13.1 continued

Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme

–  Document A73/10

·       Item 13.2 continued

WHO’s work in health emergencies

–  Documents A73/11, A73/INF./4 and EB146/2020/REC/1, resolution EB146.R10

Item 14 continued
Item 14 to be taken together with Items 13.1 and 13.2

International Health Regulations (2005)

–  Document A73/14

 

Item 13 continued (Pillar 2)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 13.3

Influenza preparedness

–  Documents A73/4 and A73/4 Add.1

·       Item 13.4

Cholera prevention and control

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 13.5

Poliomyelitis

o   Polio eradication

– Document A73/12

o   Polio transition planning and polio post-certification

– Document A73/13

Second and third meetings of Committee B

10:00 and 14:00

Item 21 (Pillar 4)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Audit and oversight matters

·       Item 21.1

Report of the External Auditor

–  Documents A73/27 and A73/39

·       Item 21.2

Report of the Internal Auditor

–  Documents A73/28 and A73/39

·       Item 21.3

External and internal audit recommendations: progress on implementation

–  Documents A73/29 and A73/39

Item 18 continued (Pillar 4)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 18.1 continued

Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/4, A73/16 Rev.1 and A73/36

·       Item 18.2 continued

Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/17 and A73/37

·       Item 18.3 continued

Geneva buildings renovation strategy

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.4 continued

WHO reform

–  Documents A73/4, A73/18 and A73/19

·       Item 18.5 continued

Evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization

–  Documents A73/20, A73/20 Add.1 and A73/41

·       Item 18.6 continued

Data and innovation: draft global strategy on digital health

–  Documents A73/4 and EB146/2020/REC/1, decision EB146(15)

·       Item 18.7 continued

Human resources: annual report

–  Documents A73/21 and A73/40

·       Item 18.8 continued

Report of the International Civil Service Commission

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.9 continued

Amendments to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules

–  Documents A73/22 and EB146/2020/REC/1, resolution EB146.R5

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

Fourth and fifth meetings of Committee A

10:00 and 14:00

Item 11 (Pillar 1)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 11.1

Primary health care

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.2

Follow-up to the high-level meetings of the United Nations General Assembly on health-related issues

o   Universal health coverage: moving together to build a healthier world

– Document A73/4

o   Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases

– Document A73/5

·       Item 11.3

Global vaccine action plan

–  Documents A73/4, A73/6 and A73/7

·       Item 11.4

Accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer as a global public health problem

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.5

Ending tuberculosis

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.6

Epilepsy

–  Document A73/5

·       Item 11.7

Integrated, people-centred eye care, including preventable blindness and impaired vision

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.8

Neglected tropical diseases

–  Document A73/8

·       Item 11.9

Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property

–  Document A73/4

Fourth and fifth meetings of Committee B

10:00 and 14:00

Item 18 continued (Pillar 4)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 18.1 continued

Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/4, A73/16 Rev.1 and A73/36

·       Item 18.2 continued

Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2020–2021

–  Documents A73/17 and A73/37

·       Item 18.3 continued

Geneva buildings renovation strategy

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.4 continued

WHO reform

–  Documents A73/4, A73/18 and A73/19

·       Item 18.5 continued

Evaluation of the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization

–  Documents A73/20, A73/20 Add.1 and A73/41

·       Item 18.6 continued

Data and innovation: draft global strategy on digital health

–  Documents A73/4 and EB146/2020/REC/1, decision EB146(15)

·       Item 18.7 continued

Human resources: annual report

–  Documents A73/21 and A73/40

·       Item 18.8 continued

Report of the International Civil Service Commission

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 18.9 continued

Amendments to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules

–  Documents A73/22 and EB146/2020/REC/1, resolution EB146.R5

Item 19

Appointment of representatives to the WHO Staff Pension Committee

–  Document A73/23 Rev.1

Item 20
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Financial matters

·       Item 20.1

WHO programmatic and financial report for 2018–2019, including audited financial statements for 2019

–  Documents A73/24, A73/25, A73/37 and A73/INF./3

·       Item 20.2

Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution

–  Documents A73/26 and A73/38

Thursday, 12 November 2020

Sixth and seventh meetings of Committee A

10:00 and 14:00

Item 11 continued (Pillar 1)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 11.1 continued

Primary health care

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.2 continued

Follow-up to the high-level meetings of the United Nations General Assembly on health-related issues

o   Universal health coverage: moving together to build a healthier world

– Document A73/4

o   Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases

– Document A73/5

·       Item 11.3 continued

Global vaccine action plan

–  Documents A73/4, A73/6 and A73/7

·       Item 11.4 continued

Accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer as a global public health problem

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.5 continued

Ending tuberculosis

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.6 continued

Epilepsy

–  Document A73/5

·       Item 11.7 continued

Integrated, people-centred eye care, including preventable blindness and impaired vision

–  Document A73/4

·       Item 11.8 continued

Neglected tropical diseases

–  Document A73/8

·       Item 11.9 continued

Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property

–  Document A73/4

Item 12

WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel

–  Document A73/9

Sixth and seventh meetings of Committee B

10:00 and 14:00

Item 17 (Pillar 3)

Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

–  Document A73/15

Item 22 (Pillar 4)

Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organizations

–  Documents A73/30 and A73/31

Friday, 13 November 2020

Third Plenary meeting

10:00

Item 7

Awards

–  Document A73/INF./1

Item 8

Reports of the main committees

Eighth and ninth meetings of Committee A

Immediately after conclusion of Item 8 in plenary and 14:00

Item 15 (Pillar 3)
The following subitems will be considered in a single discussion

Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board

·       Item 15.1

Decade of Healthy Ageing

–  Documents A73/5 and A73/INF./2

·       Item 15.2

Maternal, infant and young child nutrition

–  Documents A73/4, A73/4 Add.2 and EB146/2020/REC/1, decision EB146(20)

·       Item 15.3

Accelerating efforts on food safety

–  Document A73/4

Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports

Eighth and ninth meetings of Committee B

Immediately after conclusion of Item 8 in plenary and 14:00

Item 23 (Pillar 4)
Written statements only

Progress reports

–  Documents A73/32 and A73/32 Add.1

A.    Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017–2025 (decision WHA70(17) (2017))

B.    Towards universal eye health: a global action plan 2014–2019 (resolution WHA66.4 (2013))

C.   Eradication of dracunculiasis (resolution WHA64.16 (2011))

D.   Improving the prevention, diagnosis and clinical management of sepsis (resolution WHA70.7 (2017))

E.    Smallpox eradication: destruction of variola virus stocks (resolution WHA60.1(2007))

F.    Addressing the burden of snakebite envenoming (resolution WHA71.5 (2018))

G.   Strengthening integrated, people-centred health services (resolution WHA69.24 (2016))

H.   Reproductive health: strategy to accelerate progress towards the attainment of international development goals and targets (resolution WHA57.12 (2004))

I.     Health and the environment: road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution (decision WHA69(11) (2016))

J.    Female genital mutilation (resolution WHA61.16 (2008))

K.    Public health dimension of the world drug problem (decision WHA70(18) (2017))

L.    The WHO strategy on research for health (resolution WHA63.21 (2010))

 

Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports

Saturday, 14 November 2020

Fourth Plenary meeting

10:00

Item 8 continued

Reports of the main committees

Item 9

Closure of the Health Assembly

3.  Arrangement for the conduct of discussion in meetings

Verbal statements

Individual statements by Member States and Associate Members must be limited to three minutes. Statements by Observers, invited representatives of United Nations and other participating intergovernmental organizations will be limited to two minutes. Statements by non-State actors in official relations with the Organization will be limited to one minute and regional and group statements will be limited to four minutes. To ensure accurate and clear interpretation through the virtual platform, copies of all statements should be submitted in advance by email to interpret@who.int. Clearly indicate the name of the delegation/group in the subject line of the email. All remote speakers should use headphones and microphones to ensure optimal sound quality for interpreters and listeners.

Written statements

Member States, Associate Members, Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations and non-State actors are invited to post written statements on the website in the language of submission. In line with the guidelines for written statements outlined in decision EB146(17), statements by Member States may be provided in any of the six WHO official languages and should be limited to 500 words for individual statements and 800 words for group statements. Member States are advised to submit their statements to statements@who.int, clearly indicating the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the subject line.

Video statements

Member States and Associate Members may submit a pre-recorded video statement in place of live interventions. Video statements should be received by Saturday 7 November (COB) and may be uploaded at the following link: https://bit.ly/3nPXAUG. The following time limits will apply: Member States and Associate Members - 3 minutes and Group statements - 4 minutes. When uploading each video, please indicate clearly the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the description field. Videos received after the deadline, exceeding the time limits or labelled in such a way that the relevant agenda item or sub-item cannot be identified, may not be played. Video statements may be included in the live streaming and therefore will be included in the official records.

4.  Announcements

Virtual Meeting Platform for WHA73

The Zoom platform will be used for virtual sessions of WHA73. In order to ensure good sound quality on the virtual platform, please ensure that when taking the floor to deliver a statement, you select the language on the interpretation channel in which you are planning to speak and use high-quality headsets with echo cancelling microphones and webcam. We recommend that you use a personal computer, rather than a smartphone or tablet, and download the latest version of the Zoom software. Please deliver your statement at a moderate speed that allows for its interpretation and ensures your message is conveyed clearly and accurately.

Support

For support related to the virtual platform, please send an email to GBS-support@who.int     

Video streaming

The Plenary sessions will be webcast in the six UN languages. The webcasts can be viewed on Mac and PCs, as well as all mobile devices including iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows-enabled phones.

Arabic:            https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=ar 

Chinese:         https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=zh  

English:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=en

French:           https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=fr  

Russian:          https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=ru

Spanish:          https://player.4am.ch/who/20200518-19_wha73/player.html?lang=es

WHA App

The World Health Assembly application allows you to receive updates on the WHA73 programme of work and access documentation directly on your mobile device. Scan the QR code below and download the application in your device.

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[1] Rules 30 and 31 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly define membership of and attendance at the General Committee. Web link: http://apps.who.int/gb/gov/.

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