World Health Organization

Regional MeetingsDuring the autumn of 1954, sessions were held of six of the regional committees of the World Health Organization. From September 10 to 16, 1954, the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific held its fifth session in Manila under the chairmanship of Dr. F. S. Maclean (New Zealand). In adopting the report of the Regional Director on the activities of 1953–54, the committee expressed particular appreciation of the increase in the number of fellowships within the region. The regional program and budget for 1956 were approved, as were certain revisions in the 1955 budget made necessary by financial restrictions; the principal activities planned for 1955 and 1956 related to the control of malaria, tuberculosis, venereal diseases, and yaws, but educative and administrative aspects of public health were also included. The following were among the main recommendations and suggestions of the committee: 1) that the Regional Director allocate, so far as possible, the necessary funds for a travel study tour within the region in 1956; 2) that health authorities in the region be asked to prepare papers on the public health aspects of virus diseases; and 3) that the staff of the regional office and consultants be required to give first priority to the least favorably situated member countries. Technical discussions held during the session dealt with public health administration, with particular reference to the organization of health services. In closing, the committee decided that its sixth session should be held in September 1955, at Singapore.