major program . . . and he hoped all delegations would earnestly consider how the difficulties encountered could be overcome, either by wider participation on the part of Member States or by transferring the program to the regular budget.' Radiation The Assembly defined the role of WHO in radiation medicine to include the protection of mankind from ionizing radiation hazards from all sources and the development of medical uses of radiation and radioactive isotopes. The Assembly adopted a resolution which emphasized the need for teaching and training of technical personnel for activities in radiation medicine and requested the Director-General to encourage and assist health authorities of Member Governments to accept their responsibilities in this field and to increase their activities in the public health aspects of radiation from all sources.10 These actions were taken after discussion of a report by the DirectorGeneral entitled, "A Consideration of the Potential Health Hazards of Ionizing Radiations from All Sources and their Prevention." 11 Dr. Burney complimented the Director-General on the report, calling it very "informative, objective and analytical." He emphasized that the report was not restricted to the peaceful uses of atomic energy but referred to ionizing radiations from all sources. "The United States has been interested in the radiation problem long before the advent of atomic energy," Dr. Burney said. "For instance, the development of cancer had been noted in persons engaged in painting the dials of watches with brushes dipped in radium and in persons who had been subjected to radiation for medical purposes." He also stressed WHO's responsibility in the broad field of radiation health.12 Delegations from the Soviet Union and the United Arab Republic introduced resolutions which, in essence, called for a ban on testing of nuclear weapons as a means of protecting mankind from radiation hazards.13 Delegates from a number of countries, including the United States, opposed these resolutions on the grounds that disarmament was a political matter which should continue to be dealt with by the United Nations and other competent bodies. In his remarks, Dr. Burney emphasized that responsibility in the field of radiation was not confined to concern over fall-out from atomic tests but extended to potential hazards arising from peaceful uses of atomic energy as well, such as the operation of atomic power reactors. He pointed out further that WHO was a technical agency and should therefore confine its deliberations to technical questions relating to health which are involved in radiation and keep its discussions outside the political field. The U.S.S.R. resolution was withdrawn and the U.A.R. resolution did not come to a vote. 10 See WHA Res. 13.56 of May 19, 1960; text ibid. No. 102, pp. 25-26. "Summarized ibid. No. 103, pp. 246–247. 12 See ibid., pp. 254–256. 13 Texts ibid., pp. 251 and 248-249, respectively. Disarmament The Assembly discussed WHO's activities in promotion of health in connection with a UN General Assembly resolution concerning general and complete disarmament.14 The U.S.S.R. had offered a resolution on this subject calling for WHO Member States to devote to health needs a part of the funds released by their implementation of the UN resolution on disarmament.15 Both Dr. Burney and Mr. Henderson made strong statements for the U.S. Delegation, objecting strongly to the introduction of this political issue in a technical meeting.16 The U.S.S.R. resolution was rejected in favor of one sponsored by the United States and seven other delegations 17 which expressed the hope that "greater progress may be made toward attainment of disarmament under effective international control so that its economic and social aspects may become the subject of fruitful international cooperation.' World Health Year The Assembly voted to postpone indefinitely the holding of a World Health Year.18 The Twelfth World Health Assembly referred to the Thirteenth Assembly, for further consideration, a proposal to hold an International Health and Medical Research Year.19 (The Executive Board changed the name of the proposal to World Health Year at its meeting in January 1960.) Delegations to the Thirteenth Assembly, in discussing the proposal, expressed the view that a number of important health projects currently in progress or planned to be undertaken in the near future would require all available resources of WHO. The Assembly, therefore, decided to postpone holding the Year. The U.S., which had sponsored the proposal from the beginning, continued to support it and cast the only negative vote against the resolution to postpone the World Health Year. Research The Director-General, WHO, reported on progress in planning the intensified medical research program which was inaugurated by the Twelth World Health Assembly.20 A number of scientific groups had met during the year, he reported, and the Advisory Committee on Medical Research had held its first session. The Assembly adopted a 14 I.e., U.N. General Assembly Res. 1378 (XIV) of Nov. 20, 1959; text in American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1959, p. 1281. 15 Text in Official Records of the World Health Organization No. 103, p. 286. 16 See ibid., p. 287. 17 Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, and the United Kingdom; text (WHA Res. 13.67) ibid. No. 102, p. 30. 18 WHA Res. 13.65 of May 20, 1960; text ibid. 19 See American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1959, pp. 289–290. 20 See ibid., pp. 290–292. resolution which emphasized the importance of training in basic medical sciences as fundamental to the development of scientific research.21 Dr. Burney expressed the U.S. Delegation's satisfaction with the excellent progress which had been made in developing the research program. He stated that he would like to see more emphasis on the exchange of research personnel between countries at different levels of scientific development. This would serve the cause not only of research development, he pointed out, but also of technical education and training.2 The Assembly heard a report on special accounts which noted that the United States Government had contributed $500,000 to the Special Account for Medical Research.28 Budget for 1961 The Assembly adopted a working budget of $18,975,354 for calendar year 1961.24 The U.S. Delegation proposed a resolution, introduced by Dr. H. van Zile Hyde, which added $200,000 to the Director-General's proposed budget to finance additional assistance for New Members and Associate Members and newly independent or emerging nations. The addition, which is included in the above budget figure, was accepted without dissenting vote.25 The Assembly also voted a further increase of $205,734 in the 1961 budget to meet additional costs involved in the first year of publishing certain WHO publications in the Russian language.26 New Members of the Executive Board The Assembly elected the following Members to be entitled each to designate a person to serve on the Board: Argentina, Ghana, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Korea, Thailand, and United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.27 The 3-year term of a member from the United States expired at the Thirteenth World Health Assembly. The other 12 members of the Executive Board are designated by Brazil, France, Guatemala, Iran, Ireland, Luxembourg, Nepal, Peru, Sudan, U.S.S.R., Venezuela, and Viet-Nam. Increase in the Membership of the Executive Board The Thirteenth Assembly noted that 44 members have already ratified the amendment to the WHO Constitution approved by the Twelfth World Health Assembly to increase the size of the Executive Board "WHA Res. 13.64; text in Official Records of the World Health Organization No. 102, p. 29. See ibid., pp. 310-311 and 415. * See WHA Res. 13.27 of May 11, 1960; text ibid. No. 102, p. 9. 690-494-64- -16 from 18 to 24 members. Sixty-seven ratifications are required to bring the amendement into force.28 Reduction in Length of Assemblies The Thirteenth World Health Assembly discussed a report by the Director-General which outlined possibilities for reducing the length of World Health Assemblies.20 There was strong opposition to one of the suggestions in the Director-General's report that of eliminating technical discussions. The Delegate from Norway (Dr. Evang) pointed out that inclusion of the technical discussions did much to assure that the kind of health experts needed were included in delegations to the Assemblies. After discussion of the Director-General's suggestions the Assembly requested the Executive Board and the Director-General to consider various suggestions which had been made during the discussions at the Thirteenth Assembly and to present to the Fourteenth World Health Assembly concrete proposals for reducing as far as possible the length of the Assemblies without reducing the total time spent in technical discussions.30 23 See infra. 20 See Official Records of the World Health Organization No. 103, pp. 324-325, 326-333, and 338–339. 30 See WHA Res. 13.40 of May 19, 1960; text ibid. No. 102, pp. 14-15. |