AMTV/GENEVA, May 25 – The World Health Assembly delegates in Committee A discussed progress against the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent Health (2016-2030). During the discussion, which took place over two days, drawing comments from a high number of Member States, the delegates strongly reiterated their commitment to the Strategy as a priority for global health and expressed alarm about stalling progress in improving maternal and newborn survival.
The Director-General’s report on the Strategy presented to the World Health Assembly expressed alarm that maternal mortality rates have stagnated since 2016. Furthermore, if current trends continue, it said, 54 countries will fall short of meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for under-five mortality and 63 countries will not achieve the SDG target for neonatal mortality. Levels of violence against women and girls remain alarmingly high, while mental health challenges represent an increasing health threat for adolescents.
Delegates emphasized the importance of an integrated, life-course approach to improve outcomes, including access to sexual and reproductive health services, as well as greater efforts and investment to accelerate progress in the poorest, fragile and conflict-affected countries.
Member States urge WHO to keep momentum on work to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct
Committee B this afternoon discussed the Prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (Item 22.1) as part of the Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board (Item 22, Pillar 4)
The Committee heard the recommendations of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board and the Committee’s Chair opened the floor. Australia spoke on behalf of 61 Member States from across WHO’s regions; Botswana spoke on behalf of the 47 African Region Member States; Israel, India, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Kenya, the United States of America, South Africa, Maldives, Ecuador, Bangladesh and Peru also took the floor.
All speakers acknowledged the significant progress made by WHO in tackling sexual misconduct and welcomed both the new Policy on Addressing Sexual Misconduct (PASM), launched in March 2023, and the three-year strategy to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, launched in January this year. Member States highlighted the need for the conclusion of the cases relating to the response to the 10th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2018-2019) including holding perpetrators to account and supporting victims and survivors comprehensively. They welcomed WHO’s transparency in publishing dashboards capturing both investigations and disciplinary action taken. They encouraged WHO to continue to make progress and lead by example within the UN system. Member States stressed that preventing and responding to sexual misconduct is a shared responsibility and they will continue to support WHO.
The Director-General thanked Member States for their support and reminded Member States that WHO is focusing on four areas: changing the organizational culture – a process that takes time; having safe and trusted reporting mechanisms in place; ensuring swift and credible investigations and setting deadlines for the end-to-end process (200 days); and following a victim and survivor-centered approach.
Sustainable financing: feasibility of a replenishment mechanism
The Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly adopted the recommendations of the Working Group on Sustainable Financing, requesting WHO to explore the feasibility of a replenishment mechanism to broaden further the financing base.
In response, WHO submitted an assessment of the feasibility of such replenishment mechanism. Member States noted the report and reaffirmed the need for more sustainable, predictable and flexible financing of WHO. The report summarizes the analysis of the six principles that are to serve as the basis for considering a WHO replenishment mechanism and proposes the major elements of a first “WHO investment round” to implement such a mechanism in 2024.
Member States adopted a decision welcoming the continued effort to sustainably finance WHO and requested a plan for the First Investment Round in 2024, in closer consultation with Member States, for the EB in January 2024.
Results Report 2022, Financial report and audit for year ended 31 December 2022
Financing and implementation Programme Budget 22-23 and outlook of Programme Budget 24-25
Member States welcomed the Results Report and the detailed work found therein. Further progress is needed to achieve the triple billion targets towards attaining the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and meeting other health challenges.
The mid-term review of the Programme Budget 2022–2023 shows that, despite the progress in 2022 towards the triple billion targets, outcomes and outputs, based on the GPW 13 results framework, the world is not on track to meet the targets. While much has been achieved, further urgent action is needed to achieve the goals.
In addition, key accomplishments and selected impact case studies are highlighted in the report to exemplify how the Secretariat and Member States work together to drive health impact at the country level, where it matters most.
The Health Assembly noted the Results Report.
Member States also noted the reports on financing and implementation of the Programme Budget. Despite positive trends, as of 31 March 2023, the base programmes of WHO have a funding gap of US$ 443.8 million, after including projections of voluntary contributions. The current gap is compounded by the challenge of persisting “pockets of poverty” – underscoring the urgent need for more sustainable financing.
Delegates support maintaining momentum and innovations to end TB
Today delegates at the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly participated in a Strategic Roundtable on Ending TB by 2030: Universal access to care, multisectoral collaboration, and innovations to accelerate progress and combat antimicrobial resistance.
TB, a treatable and curable communicable disease, remains a top infectious killer, claiming 1.6 million lives and affecting millions of additional lives and livelihoods annually.
Ministers of health, leaders from civil society, partner organizations and WHO shared first-hand reflections on global and national leadership and innovations to end TB, as well as challenges and concerns, including increasing threats of antimicrobial resistance.
Dr Atul Gawande, Deputy Administrator, USAID and Ambassador Zbigniew Czech, Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN Office in Geneva, highlighted the importance of building stronger partnerships and integrating TB services into primary health care.
Delegates heard stories of halted and reversed progress; Dr Ethel Leonor Noia Maciel, Secretary of Health, Brazil noted declining rates of TB service coverage during the pandemic while also highlighting the need for shared responsibility and resources across sectors to tackle the core drivers of the TB epidemic.
There were stories of resilience too; Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, Zambia, which is one of the 30 high TB burden countries, reported that the country managed to maintain progress despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shared lessons learned on how combating TB and COVID-19 could strengthen pandemic preparedness. Mr Setiaji, Deputy Minister for Health Technology, Indonesia described the country’s new innovative national health financing strategy, its efforts to provide equitable TB services and the country’s commitment to advance TB research, in particular for new vaccine development.
Top leaders in the fight against TB noted the importance of the political momentum in the lead up to the upcoming second UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on TB which will take place in September. The HLM can provide the political impetus needed to turn the tide in the fight against TB and fast-track progress to attain the critical TB related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
6月10日纽约讯，据美国哥伦比亚广播公司（CBS）报道，在美国经济形势的严峻情况下，许多教师被迫从事第二份工作。 报道称，一位现年54岁，从小就立志成为一名教师，来自新泽西州普莱恩菲尔德的克里斯汀·里格尔（Christine Regal）说：“我就是喜欢和孩子们在一起，我爱这些孩子。我教书已经26年了，至今仍与许多学生保持着联系。” 据报道，在巴洛小学（Barlow Elementary School）任教二年级的里格尔称，为了维持生计，她这份对教育事业的热爱，需要她从事多份兼职工作来补贴家用。里格尔在学校负责监管学生的早餐和午餐时段，放学后还要为学生提供辅导，同时还在“芝士蛋糕工厂”（Cheesecake Factory）餐厅兼职工作。 里格尔在谈及经济困境时说：“我感觉各方面的开销都在重创我的钱包，就在上周末，给车加油就花了我70美元。昨晚我去买菜，只买了两袋东西就花了160美元。这些就是让我感到吃力的地方。” 里格尔表示，暑假期间她将继续做服务员以赚取额外收入。此外，她还得为教学用品预留预算；为了补充班级所需的物资，她每年通常会自掏腰包花费高达1500美元。 目前单身的里格尔表示：“幸运的是，我有一位搭档老师，我们分担所有工作；但我知道她也感受到了压力，我们已经沟通过了——我们可能得放慢节奏，尤其是考虑到她的情况，因为她刚生了宝宝。” 里格尔在谈到她“大概”会在60岁时退休时说：“我会继续努力工作、不断存钱，然后祈祷等我到了60岁时，情况会有很大的改观。” 据报道，沃尔顿家族基金会（Walton Family Foundation）与盖洛普（Gallup）于3月联合发布的年度《面向未来的教学》（Teaching for…
6月11日巴哈马拿骚讯，巴哈马当局表示，已逮捕5名来自美国的游轮乘客，他们被指控在该加勒比群岛袭击警务人员并拒捕。 巴哈马警方6月9日发表声明称，这3名女性和2名男性美国游轮乘客在巴哈马首都拿骚（Nassau）的港口卷入了一场涉及多名游轮乘客的打斗事件。该事件发生在6月8日晚间。 巴哈马警方官员们表示，当警员准备搜查这5名被捕嫌疑人时，在警察局内发生了“激烈的肢体冲突”。据警方声明，其中一名女子被指控投掷椅子砸碎了玻璃门；随后，一名男子被指控踢破剩余的玻璃并试图逃跑。 巴哈马当局表示，有4名警员受伤，其中1人左肩重伤，已被送往医院。 巴哈马“目击者新闻”（Eyewitness News Bahamas）播出的一段视频显示，当警员上前实施逮捕时，一名男子正从破损的门洞中爬出。巴哈马“我们的新闻”（Our News Bahamas）获得的另一段视频则显示有人被推倒在地。 巴哈马当局指控这5名嫌疑人袭击警务人员、在公共场所斗殴、拒捕、蓄意破坏以及在警局内行为不检。这5名美国游客目前仍被拘留，当地警方表示调查工作正在进行中。
6月11日华盛顿讯，美国五角大楼今天在因“空气质量问题”而发布“就地避险”指令数小时后，恢复了“正常运作”。今天上午，危险品处置小组和弗吉尼亚州应急响应团队已部署至五角大楼。 五角大楼首席发言人肖恩·帕内尔（Sean Parnell）在一份声明中表示：“今天早些时候，五角大楼内的人员获悉可能存在空气质量问题，随即采取了预防性安全措施并进行了评估。随后的检测证实不存在安全隐患，目前已恢复正常运作。” 帕内尔说道：“我们衷心感谢应急响应人员迅速采取行动，确保了所有人员的安全。” 帕内尔在初步声明中表示：“国防部正在执行标准防护规程，包括针对受影响区域发布‘就地避险’指令。应急响应团队已到位，随时准备为大楼内人员提供协助。” 五角大楼员工收到一条紧急通知，称“后续检测可能需要一到两个小时。应急响应团队已到位，随时准备在必要时为大楼内人员提供协助。” 在初步应对行动期间，五角大楼所在地美国弗吉尼亚州东北部的阿灵顿县消防局（ACFD）今天在社交媒体平台X上发文称，包括其危险品处置小组在内的应急力量正在五角大楼开展行动，协助五角大楼部队保护局（PFPA）的危险品处置小组处理一起涉及危险物质的事件。
6月11日华盛顿讯，美国劳工部（DOL）今天公布的数据显示，衡量通胀传导至消费者之前阶段的生产者价格指数（PPI）在5月份同比飙升6.5%。从环比来看，美国生产者价格指数较4月份上涨1.1%，涨幅超过了金融数据公司FactSet调查的经济学家此前预测的0.6%。 受伊朗战争引发的能源价格上涨影响，美国企业面临的通胀压力在5月份激增，达到自2022年11月以来的最高水平。 在美国劳工部发布高于预期的通胀数据的前一天，所公布的消费者价格指数（CPI）显示，美国5月份通胀年率飙升至4.2%，创下三年多来的最高水平。尽管生产者价格指数并不直接反映消费者价格的变化，但如果美国企业将成本转嫁给客户，它可能会推高整体通胀水平。 5月份的数据凸显了今年美国通胀前景的剧烈变化，其中汽油价格持续高位运行。通胀卷土重来也可能促使美联储按兵不动，一些华尔街经济学家推测，决策者加息的可能性要大于降息。 市场普遍预计，在美联储定于6月16日至17日举行的下次会议上将维持利率不变，同时密切关注最新的通胀数据。 生产者价格指数数据显示，从今年4月到5月，美国批发汽油价格飙升了超过23%，与去年同期相比涨幅近70%。虽然6月份汽油价格略有回落，但最新的生产者价格指数报告并未反映这一变化，因为该报告统计的是上个月的数据。 在剔除波动较大的食品和能源价格后，所谓的“核心批发价格”在5月份环比上涨0.4%，同比上涨4.9%。批发价格数据可以预示消费者通胀的未来走势。经济学家之所以关注这一指标，还因为其中的部分构成要素，特别是医疗保健和金融服务，会传导至美联储首选的通胀衡量指标，即个人消费支出（PCE）指数。 分析师认为，综合5月份的消费者价格指数（CPI）和生产者价格指数数据来看，个人消费支出指数实时追踪模型显示，美国5月份整体价格将上涨0.5%，核心价格将上涨0.3%。这将推动整体个人消费支出指数升至4.2%，创下自2023年4月以来的最高水平。”
6月11日伦敦讯，德国时尚公司雨果博斯 （Hugo Boss ）今天股价飙升约 8%，此前其最大股东英国零售商弗雷泽斯集团（Frasers Group ）宣布了对该公司的收购要约，总价值达 20 亿欧元。 持有雨果博斯公司26% 股份的英国弗雷泽斯集团6月10日晚间表示，将以每股 38 欧元的现金价格收购雨果博斯公司其余股份，总交易对价为 19.78 亿欧元（约合…
6月10日华盛顿讯，美国总统特朗普今天签署了由共和党参议员乔什·霍利（Josh Hawley）提出的《保障美国法案》(Secure America Act)，该法案将为增聘200名儿童剥削案件调查员提供资金。这是迄今为止规模最大的此类打击行动。这项涉及1.085亿美元资金的条款，属于总额700亿美元的预算和解法案的一部分；该法案代表了联邦政府在打击儿童贩运方面最大规模的投入。 此前，美国国土安全部（DHS）在全国范围内仅有7名专门负责此类案件的法医分析员，此次举措标志着联邦资源的大幅扩充。 霍利在一份声明中表示：“我与蒂姆·蒂博（Tim Tebow）联手推动的、旨在从网络儿童剥削中解救数千名儿童的法案，刚刚由特朗普总统签署成为法律。我要感谢总统在这一至关重要的问题上发挥领导作用。这是联邦政府有史以来针对儿童贩运采取的最大规模行动。时间紧迫，让我们携手解救这些孩子。” 这项措施包含在总额700亿美元的预算协调法案中，该法案于6月8日已在美国众议院获得通过，其中包括向美国移民与海关执法局（ICE）拨款380亿美元、向边境巡逻队拨款260亿美元，并将投入1.085亿美元用于打击儿童贩运和剥削的执法工作。 霍利参议员办公室表示，这将是联邦政府为打击儿童贩运而进行的最大规模投资。 据霍利参议员办公室透露，这项条款的推动在一定程度上归功于美国职业橄榄球大联盟（NFL）前四分卫蒂姆·蒂博（Tim Tebow)。蒂博曾于今年3月3日在霍利主持的参议院司法委员会下属“犯罪与反恐小组委员会”的听证会上作证，揭露了猖獗的儿童贩卖活动。 蒂博在证词中指出，在短短几个月内，美国就有33.8万个独立IP地址下载、分享或传播了涉及儿童强奸内容的图像，但其中只有极少数受到了调查。 该措施源自霍利提出的《重燃希望法案》（Renewed Hope Act），旨在为美国国土安全调查局（HSI）提供资金，以便在该局“儿童剥削调查部门”下属的“受害者识别实验室”增聘40名法医分析师，并增聘30名专门负责儿童剥削案件的调查员。…