World Health Organization

To mark the celebration of the tenth anniversary of the World Health Organization (WHO), the eleventh regular session of the Assembly was preceded by a special two-day tenth anniversary commemorative session. The eleventh session was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from May 28 to June 13, 1958. The President of the Assembly (Dr. Leroy E. Burney) stated in his inaugural address that WHO's efforts during its first ten years had been concentrated largely on the fight against the major communicable diseases. He emphasized the necessity for more research, the importance of intensifying training activities, and the need for wider public participation in health work. The Director-General, introducing his report on the work of WHO during 1957, stated that one indication of the direction in which WHO's work was likely to develop in the future was to be found in the repeated references made in the report to the coordination of research. He stated that one of the most pressing immediate needs continued to be the strengthening of national health services. He proposed an effective working budget for 1959 of $14,287,600, which represented an increase of 5.3 percent over the effective working budget for 1958. The Assembly approved the proposed budget.