World Health Assembly Agenda Is Set

The World Health Organization's Executive Board has set the agenda forthe 1997 World Health Assembly, to be held in Geneva on May 5-14.

The main subject under discussion was the proposed program budget for the 1998-99 biennium. Board members differed on whether to recommend a 2% increase or maintain the same budget level; the issue now goes to the WHA.

The Board singled out five priority areas: promotion of primary health care and other related areas; promotion of environmental health; eradication of specific communicable diseases; prevention and control of other communicable diseases; and reproductive health, women's health and family health. Overall priority for growth under the proposed regular budget went to the area of integrated control of disease, which showed the largest growth, at 8%, over the 1996-97 biennium.