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Health ministers discuss policy

    JOHANNESBURG

    A range of key health issues for the next millennium have been under discussion by African health ministers in Windhoek, Namibia, at the World Health Organisation (WHO's) annual
    regional meeting.

    A WHO official told IRIN that the topics raised at the 49th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which started on 30 August and ends on Friday, included reproductive health; the quality of healthcare; polio eradication and measles control; community-based rehabilitation; regional information and education strategies for health promotion; epidemiological surveys, and HIV/AIDS.

    The 46 African health ministers focussed on four issues proposed by WHO: A programme of regional health for all for the 21st century to guide national policies; a regional strategy for mental health; a regional technical policy; and a strategic plan for 2000-2005 on the integrated management of child illnesses.

    At the meeting, the health ministers also re-elected Dr Ebrahim Samba as WHO regional director for Africa, WHO announced in a communique on Wednesday. The election has to be ratified by the WHO board of directors in January 2000.

    Samba became WHO's Africa regional director in 1995 after heading its programme for the eradication of river blindness for 14 years.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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