WHO Board adopts resolution calling for a global strategy

The WHO Executive Board today passed a resolution that will be recommended to the 61st Health Assembly to be held in May this year. The resolution is a process oriented resolution which was proposed by Kenya and Rwanda and co-sponsored by some 36 member states. The core message is that the resolution requests the Director General (the Secretariat) of WHO to draft a global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol. After endorsement by the WHA, there will be a process of designing the strategy the coming two years until the Assembly meeting in 2010.

Further the resolution requests the DG to collaborate and consult with member states as well as with intergovernmental organizations, health professionals, nongovernmental organizations and economic operators on ways they could contribute to reducing harmful use of alcohol. The draft global strategy is going to be put before the 63rd World Health Assembly, through the Executive Board.

The discussion in the WHO Board this week is a follow-up of the World Health Assembly in 2007, which failed in reaching a conclusion on the alcohol issue due to objections from some member states.

Download EB resolution EB122.R2 from the WHO web site here.