World Association of Societies of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (WASPaLM)

World Health Organization

Fifty-Seventh World Health Assembly, May 17^th-May 22^th 2004

Report of Mario Flávio P. Alcântara

The Assembly is highly politicized

During the first day there were sessions only in the plenary (Gran Palais). Before lunch, the opening ceremony was held and some speeches were delivered. Beginning at 3 pm the ministers of health started debating whether Taiwan should or not be admitted as an observer at the Assembly. At 6 pm there were 24 countries still remaining in the waiting list, holding on to be heard on the same matter, and no health topic of the Agenda had been considered so far.

At the second day, the work at the Commissions had started with several points been debated simultaneously in several rooms. One of these Commissions, working on a draft to be latter submitted to ballot, spent 20 minutes debating whether the wording should be “Emphasizing that treatment and access to medication for AIDS…” or “Recognizing that treatment…” These discussions, to us technicians, may seem without importance, though there are always some hidden meanings not apparent to the heedless observer. An interesting example is the effort made to pull out a resolution from WHO, recommending reduction on world sugar consumption, with the purpose of reducing the number of obese and overweigh people, besides the benefit for potential and already diabetic patients.This kind of recommendation from WHO is not welcomed by the sugar producing countries (like Brazil, Caribbean, Central America and African nation) nor is it by the huge companies engaged in the industrialization and commercialization of this commodity.As the consequences of such resolution would be very important, there is a lot of talk at the corridors and active lobbying, which not always seek for the best interests of world health

There are nice opportunities for establishing contacts

During the intervals there are opportunities for establishing and consolidating personal contacts.Amongst these, I succeeded in talking to the Brazilian Minister of Health, to whom I had the opportunity to introduce WASPaLM, its activities and goals.

I foresee in our participations at the Commissions an opportunity for WASPaLM to contribute on the effort of improving global health, through the Pathology knowledge of choosing the best cost-effective diagnostic tool.

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