.,':': (WPRjRC25/SR/l)

SUJIItfARY RECCIID OF '!HE FIRST ME:E'l'Im

Dewan TUnku Abdul Rahman, Kuala aunpur Mond.,. 2 September 1974 at 9." a.m.

CHAIRMAN: Tan Sri Dato (Dr) Abdul Majid bin Ismail (Malayaia)

1 Formal opening of the twenty-firth session of the Reaional Co~ ttee ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 69

2 Addre •• by retiring Chairman •••••••••••••••••••••••

3 Election of new offioers: Chairman, Vioe-Chairman and. Rapporteurs •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 70

4 Addre •• b7 tnaaminl Chairman ••••••••••••••••••••••• 70

5 statement by the Representative of the People's Republio ot China. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 70

6 Adoption ot the agenda ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 72

7 statement by the Chail'lll&ll of the Teohnioal Diaau •• iana •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 72

8 Establishment of the Sub-Colllll1 ttee on Programme and B\:&c:Iget ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 73

9 Mess... of oondol.no. on the death of Prime Minister .!p.rk of New ~~ -.••••••••••••••••••••••• 73

10 Amlounoement ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• 73

-65-

66 REGIONAL COMMI'l"lEE: 'NENTY-FIFTH SESSION

First Meeting

Mondal' 2 September 1974 at 9.}O a.m.

I. Reeeentatives of' Member States

AUS'mAUA

CHnfA

JAPAN

LAOS

MALAYSIA

Dr G. Howells Dr R. W. Cumming

Dr Chen Hai-f'eng Dr Sung Kan Mr L1 Ching Hsiu

Dr Peni VUiyale

Dr J. Laigret

Dr T. Tak1zawa Dr R. Okamoto Mr M. Sasaki

Dr Nhonh Bun Yay Dr Emmanuel Fernandez

Dr Phouy PhoutthaSak Dr R1 tthikay Vilaihongs

Tan Sri Dato (Dr)· Abdul MaJid bin Ismail

Datuk Paduka (Dr) Abdul Wahab bin Mohd. Arif'f'

Dr Raja Ahmad Noordin Mr Onn bin Kayat Dr GurIIIukh Singh Dr Fang Ung Sang Dr Abdul MaJid bin TIm Abdul Aziz Dr Tai Yen Hooi Datuk (Dr) Abdul Khalid b1n Sahan Mr Cheong Weng Hooi Dr a.v. Denis

Dr R. Diolde

•

pmLIPPlNES

SUMMARY RECORD OF TlE FIRST MEE'lING

Dr J. Dizon Dr D. Rivera

67

POR'lUGAL Dr Rui Albuquerque Ribeiro da Costa Pinhao

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

REPUBLIC OF VIET-NAM

SINGAPORE

UNI'lED JaNGDOM

UNI'lED STA'lE'3 OF AMERICA

WES'lERN SAMOA

Dr Seung Hahm Park Mr Chong Sang Park Mr Byung Hoon Chun Mr Han Il Ree Mr Hang Sirb Song

Dr Pham Quang TI.wl

Dr A.G.K. Chew Dr Ng Kwok Choy

Dr J .A.B. Nicholson

Dr J.C. King Mr F.S. Cruz Mr L.R. Jaokson Dr M. Kumangai

Dr J .C. 'Ihieme

II. Representative of Assooiate Member

PAPUA NEW GUINEA Dr A. Tarutia

III. Representative of the United Nations and Related Organizations

UNI'lED NATIONS CHUDREN'S FUND U TIm Aung

IV. Representative of the Other Intergovernmental Organizations

IN'IERNA'lIONAL COIfi[TlEE OF MILITARY MEDICINE AND PHARMACY Colonel Dr D.A. Lopes. KMN

V. Representatives of Non-governmental Organizations

IN'lERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR ACCIDENT AND 'mAFFIC MEDICINE Dr W.K. Ng

68 • ,<I

INTERNA'f[ONAL DENTAL FEDERA'l!ION Dr Lim Chee Shin

IN'lERNATICNAL COMMIT'lEE OF CATHOI.J:C NURSES Mrs M.A. La1

INTERNA'l!IONAL CCl.Jl'Ir.[L OF NURSES Miss Chong Ah Foo

IN'lERNA'l!IClfAL PLANNED P ARENT1I>OD FEDERA'l!ION Dr W.K. Ng

IN'lERNA'BONAL FEDERA'l!ION OF PHARMACEtJTICAL MANUFACmRERS Mr Koh ChoOll Hu.1 ASSOCIA'l!IONS

IEAGUE OF RED CROOS SOCIE'l'IES Y.B. Tan Sri AbdUl Jam11 Rais

IN'JEFlNA'BONAL FEDERA'BON OF SPOR'lB l€DICINE Dr M. JegathesOll

IN'lERNATIONAL FEDERA'l![ON OF SURGICAL COT.TF.QES Professor M. Balasegaram, FR::S.Ed.

VI. WHO Seoretariat

SECRETARY Dr Franoisoo J. D;y

, .

I .... , -:- SUMMARY RECORD OF Tf£ FIRST MEE'l![NQ

1 FORMAL OPENING OF 'l'f£ 'lWENTY-FIF'l'H SESSION OF THE REGIONAL COMMI'l"lEE: Item 1 of the Provisional Agenda

In the absence of Dr C.N. Derek Taylor. retiring Chairman. and Dr D. Singh. retiring Vioe-Chairman. the Regional Director formally opened the twenty-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Paoifio.

The Regional Direotor thanked the Government of Malaysia. on behalf of the World Health Organization. for the aITangements it had made in conneJd.on 1f1 th the susion and. oonveyed the greetings of the Direotor-Qeneral. He then referred to the excellent use Malaysia had made of the assistance reoeived from WHO in past years. The oountry was now able to deal with i till 011111 basio needs and this meant that in future WHO assistanoe oould be largely devoted to more highly specialized and speoifio fields. He oongratulated the Government on this achievement whiohwas the aim of all WHO-assisted programmes. He voioed the thanks of those oountries that had been able to send fellows to train in Malaysia.

The Regional Direotor also referred to the need to share teohnioal expertise. one of the first prinoiples of international health. which is beooming inoreasingly important now that rapid means of transport are faclli tating the spread of oommunioable diseases from one oountry to another.

The Honourable Minister of Health Tan Sri Lee Siok Yew addressed the meeting (see Annex 1 for oopy of his speech).

The Honourable TIm Jaji Abdul Razak bin Datuk Hussein. SMN. Prime Minister of Malaysia. then welcomed the COIIIII1ttee to KUala Lumpur (see Annex 2 for copy of his speeoh).

With the oompletion of the formal opening. the COIIIII1ttee adjourned and reconvened at 10.55 a.m.

2 ADDRESS BY RETIRING CHAIRMAN: Item 2 of the Provisional Agenda

In the absence of the retiring Chairman and the retiring Vioe­Chairman. the speeoh of the retiring Chairman was read by Dr Diokie.

Dr DICKIE (New Zealand) commenoed by saying that because of the illness of Dr Taylor he had been asked to deliver the address on his behalf. '1'h1s gave him great pleasure as it enabled him to return to an area of the world where he had served for twelve years. the last four as an officer of the Government of Malaysia. It also gave him the opportunity of attending another Regional Colllll1ttee. a.priv1lege he first had 24 years ago. He then read Dr Taylor's address (attaohed as Annex 3).

70

3 EUX:'frON OF NEW OPPICERS, CHAIRMAN, VICE-CHAIHMAH AND RAPPOR'IEURS: Item 3 ot the Provisional Agenda ,

3.1 Eleotion ot Chairman

Dr DIZON (philippines) nOlllinated Tan Sri Dato (Dr) ABDUL MAJID BtN ISMAIL (Malaysia); this was aeoonded b7 Dr CHEW (S1ngapore).

Deoision: Tan Sri Dato (Dr) ABDUL MAJID BtN ISMAIL was unanimously eleoted.

3.2 Eleotion ot Vioe-Chairman

Dr DICKIE (New Zeal.m1) nOlllinated Dr DIZON (Phil1ppines) as Vioe­Chairman; this was seocmded by Dr THIEME (Westem Samoa).

Deoision: Dr DIZON wu unan1IIIoualyeleoted.

3.3 Eleotion ot R!epOrteura

Dr PARK (Republio of Korea) nOlllinated Dr VUIYAIE (Fiji) as Rapporteur tor the EnsJ,1sh lmguqe; thia was seoonded b7 Dr THIEME (Westem Samoa).

Dr PHOU'l"l'HASAJC (Laos) nOlll1nated Dr LAIQRET (Franoe) as Rapporteur tor the Frenoh lansuage; this was seoonded by Dr '!'RAN (,J1Y NII1 (Republio ot Viet-Nam).

Deoisiona Dr VUIYAIE and. Dr LAIGRET were unanimously eleoted.

4 ADDRESS BY ~OMDO CHAIRMAN, Item 4 ot the Provisional Agenda

The CHAIRMAN addressed the meet1ng. His statement appears in Annex 4

5 STA'lEMENT BY TIE REPRESENTA'rIVE CP 'l'HE PEOPIE' S REPUBIlC OF CHrNA

Dr CIEN (China) stated that the Chinese delegation deemed it neoessal7 to point out that the tra1 toroua Lon Nol olique was a puppet regime o0D81atins ot a hIIndtUl ot natiCll&l. scum abandoned b7 the Cambodian people and oould b7 no meana represent the latter. The representative ot the treacherous Lon Nol olique was utterly unjustified in attending the sessions ot this Regional Coam1 ttee. Under the leader­ship of Samdek NorodOlll Sh1hanouk, the Ro7&l Government ot the National Union of Cambodia, which now oontroiled over ~ ot the Cambodian terri tory, was not onl7 warml7 supported b7 the Cambodian people but also had won the wide reoogni tion and admiration ot all p8aoe-lov1ng peoples and Jutioe-uphold1ns ocnm'tr1ea. '.DW R()J'al Government of the National tklion ot C8IIIbod1a, under the leaderah1p of Samciek NorodOlll S1hanouk, wu 'the 80le ;Lep]. SOV81'11De!1t repreaent1ng the Cambodian people.

...

..

..

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING

The Chinese delegation wished to point out further that the Paris Agreement on Viet-Mam had given de facto recognition to the existence of two administrations in South Viet-Mam, namely, the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet-Mam and the Saigon authorities. The Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Viet-Mam was the genuine representative of the people of South Viet-Name Under the present circumstanoes. it was not appropriate for the representative of the Saigon authorities to unilaterally attend this session.

Dr Chen asked that his statement be recorded fully in the minutes of the meeting.

71

Dr THAN QPY NHJ (Republic of Viet-Nam) regretted he had to take up time to reply to the statement made by the delegation of the People's Republio of China. which once more had introduced politics into an international meeting dedicated to medioal questions. and interfered in the internal affairs of the Republio of Viet-Mam. He begged the Comm1 ttee to excuse the representatives of the People's Republic of China. who could not but carry out the instructions of their Government. The so-called Provisional Revolutionary Government had never been a government in South Viet-Name It had always rejeoted the proposal made repeatedly by the Government of the Republic of Viet-Mam. to organize elections under international supervision, had sought to prolong the Paris negotiations. and continued to intensify its military assaults. thus confirming its ill-will and its aggressive attitude. The delegation of the Republic of Viet-Mam strongly protested against the preposterous and unfounded allegations aimed at it. It wished to declare that there existed in South Viet-Nam only one authentic government, the Government of the Republic of Viet-Name

Dr NHONH am YAY (Khmer Republic) wished to express, on behalf of his delegation. his gratitude to the Government and people of Malaysia for their welcome and their hospitality.

In the name of the Khmer Republic he congratulated the Chaiman and the other officers of the Committee on their election.

Dr YAY said that the statement made by the representative of the People's Republio of China did not even deserve comment. Out of respeot for the host oountry and for the representatives attending the Colllll1ittee. his delegation would not stoop to answer in the same vein. It was an old refrain mechanically repeated by similar delegations at every international meeting. even scientific meetings. The delegation of the Khmer Republic would therefore refrain from replying to insult with insult. conSidering that the dignity of the Regional Colllll1i ttee should be safeguarded.

72 • REGIONAL CCMttITlEE: TWENTY-FIFTH SESSION

6 ADOP'l![~ OF THE AGENDA: Item 5 of the Provisional Agenda (Doouments WPRt1'Ic25/l Rev.l and. WPRt1'Ic25/l Rev.l Add.l)

The CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the agenda.

Deoision: In the absenoe of ocmnents, the agenda was adopted.

7 STA'lEMENT BY 'l1fE CHAIRMAN OF THE 'lECHNICAL DISCUSSIONS: Item 6 of the Agenda

Mr CHEONG (Malaysia) stated he was greatly honoured by the invi tation to be Chairman of the Tealm10al Disoussions. '!he subjeot seleoted for the disoussions, "Control of Veotor Mosquitoes of Dengue Haemorrhagio Fever", wu very important as a number of outbreaks had been reported in several oO\Ultries and territories, inoluding Malaysia. These had been a cause of grave oonoern among the national health authorities oonoerned and had prompted them to give priority to the prevention and oontrol ot the disease.

The WHO Regional Offioes for South-East Asia and. the Western Paoifio, with the assistanoe of WHO Headquarters, had organized a Technioal Advisory COIIIIli ttee on Dengue Haemorrhagio Fever and the first meeting had been held in Maroh 1974 in Manila. '!he COIIIII1ttee had prepared tealm10al guides for the surveillanoe, diagnosis, oontrol and prevention of the disease. The South Paoifio Commission had launohed a speoial projeot designed to oontrol dengue fever.

The dooumentation of the Tealm10al Disouss.ions oons1sted of three working papers and organizational and prooedural papers. The teohnioal guides prepared by the Advisory Comm1ttee would also be available as referenoe material.

'!here would be two plenary sessions, both to be held in the Conferenoe Hall. The first would be on the morning of Friday, 6 September, when the prooedural arrangements would be disoussed further and the seoond on Monday mOrning, 9 September.

There would be three disoussion groups. Details would be given in dooument WPR/RC251ID7, which would be distributed shortly. Group A, whioh oanprised English-speaking members, and Group C. whioh oomprised English and Chinese speaking members, would meet in the Teohnioal Disoussion Rooms 1 and. 2 respeotively. and Group B. whioh oomprised English and Frenoh speaking members, would meet in the Conferenoe Hall. The Group Disoussions would start in the latter part of Friday morning and oontinue in the afternoon.

As the topio seleoted for this year's disoussion was a oonoise and olearly defined subjeot. it was hoped th8.t a praotioal and useful report would be produced whiah would be of assistanoe to oountries in the Region. (For oonsideration of the report of the Technioal Disoussions, see the seventh meeting, seotion 1.)

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING 73/74

8 ESTABLISIH:NT OF THE SUB-COMMIT'lEE ON PROGRAMME AND BUDGET: Item 7.1 of the Agenda

In aooordanoe with resolution WPR/RC21.Rl adopted by the Regional Committee at its twenty-first session, whioh deoided that the member­ship of the Sub-Committee on Programme and Budget should "consist of half the Members in the Region plus the Chairman of the Regional Camn1ttee and that it be rotated among the representat1ves of various Members, subJeot to the prOVision that any representative desiring to partioipate in the disoussion of the Sub-Commi ttee should be entitled to do so", it was agreed that the membership this year would be oomposed of representatives from the Khmer Republio, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, the United states of America and western Samoa.

It was further agreed that the Sub-Committee would meet at 2.30 on Wednesday afternoon, 4 September, and that a further meeting would take plaoe at 9.00 a.m. on Saturday morning, 7 September. (For oonsiderat1on of the report of the Sub-conmittee, see the sixth meeting, seotion 2.)

9 ~AGE OF CONDOlENCE ON THE DEATH OF PRIME MINIS'lER KIRK OF NEW ZEALAND

The CHAIRMAN proposed that the following oable be sent, on behalf of the Regional Committee, to the Minister of Health of New Zealand:

THE 'lWENTY-FIFTH REGIONAL COMMIT'lEE FOR THE \oIES'JERN PACIFIC OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION WHI:CH OPENED IN KUALA UlMPUR SECOND SEP'lEMEER REQUES'D3 YOU TO CONVEY I'IB DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPIES OF NEW ZEALAND AND MRS KIRK ON THE DEATH OF PRIME MI:NIS'lER KIRK

ABDUL MAJID mN ISMAIL, CHAIRMAN

It was agreed that the cable be despatohed.

Dr DICKIE (New Zealand), on behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, thanked the Comm1 ttee for its kind thought in sending this message at a time when New Zealand had suffered a sudden and grievous loss whioh had shocked. all those present from New Zealand.

10 ANNotnaMENT

The CHAIRMAN suggested that the Committee should follow its usual prao'tioe and meet from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon, with a short recess at about 10.30 a.m., and from 2.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., with a short reoess at about 3.30 p.m.

It was so agreed.

The meeting rose at 12 noon

,.

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEErING

ANNEX 1

SPEECH BY THE HONOURABIE MINIS'lER OF HEALTH, MALAYSIA

75

Saya berasa sukaoi ta mend.apat pe1uang 1n1 lmtuk beruoap kepacia wakil-waki1 negara yang dari Rantau Pasifik Barat, perwakilan yang dihormati daripada berbagai Pertubuhan Antarabangsa, Pengarah Serabtau bag1 Rantau Pasifik Barat dan kakitangan sekretariat beliau. Saya suka mengucapkan terima kasih kepada perwakilan rantau 1n1 dan Pengarah Serantau kerana telah menerima jemputan Kerajaan Malaysia . lmtuk mengadakan mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Serantau di Kuala Lumpur. I wish to extend a warm welcome to all the delegates. representatives of International Organizations. the Regional Director and his Secretariat staff. and hope that you will thorollghly enjoy your short but busy stay in Kuala Lumpur and partake our Malaysian hospi tali ty.

I wish also to convey my appreciation and thanks to the Direotor­General of Health. Malaysia and the members of his Conmittee. which is comprised of offioers of not only the Ministry of Health but of other Government agencies and departments. who have been responsible for months of preparation and arrangement for this Meeting. I hope that all the partioipants of this Meeting will find these arrangements adequate and satisfactory.

The health services in Malaysia have been expanding at a tremendous rate. lmprecedented in the history of' our COlmtry. We are proud to say that through this rapid expansion we have brought medical, health and dental care to the doorstep of almost all our population throughout the cOlmtry. We have not only expanded the physical infrastructure. but we have also implemented a number of public health programmes on a national basis in order to control or eradioate our most pressing health problems like tuberculosiS, malaria. leprosy, malnutrition, health education, environmental sanitation, fluoridation of water supplies, eto. These multi-p~onged attacks on our medical. health and dental problems have resulted in the aohievement of a comparatively high standard of health for all our people throughout Malaysia.

The crude death rate in this country has been reduced from 12.4 per thousand population in 1957 to 6.8 in 1971. a reduction of almost 50%. Similarly, the infant mortality rate has declined from 75.5 per thousand live-births in 1957 to 38.5 in 1971, again a reduction of almost 50%. The maternal death rate has been reduced by 63$ from 3.2 in 1957 to 1.24 in 1971. Life expectancy at birth has inoreased by more than 10% and now stands at 63 years for males and 66 years for

76 REGIONAL CCMt1ITlEE: '.NENTY-FIFTH SESSION

females. The decline in birth rate is around 3af> and now stands at 32.6 per thousand population. The Ministry is therefore implementing a family health programme in order to reduce further the population growth and improve the health of mothers.

The M:in1stry of Health has been able to sustain the rapid rate of eJCp8IlBion because the Health Budget is being substantially increased from year to year and maintained at around 6.5% of the National Budget. The Health Budget for 1974 is around M$352.5 million or an equivalent of US$147. 5 million. This means that the per capita health expenditure is approximately M$30 or US$12.5 wh10h in 1970 was only M$l7.5l or US$7 .32. In shortl during a five year span we are now spending almost twioe as much on the health of eaoh individual oitizen of this oountry.

In line with the objective of the New Eoonomio Polioy of eradioa­ting poverty among all raoes and of restructuring the Malaysian sooiety the Ministry of Health has been continually seeking ways ~d means of providing health serviaes and improving the health standards of all our people espeaially those living in the rural areas. There is more equitable distribution of wealth and the per capita inoome has inareased from M$1070 (us$448) in 1970 to M$1360 in 1973 (us$569). The foreoast for 1974 is that the per oapi ta income will further inorease to M$1500 (us$628).

The Ministry is continually striving to improve and expand the health service whether it be at hospital level or at public health progr8lllDe level in the field. In the peripheral areas we have establiahed a oomprehensive network of health oentres and midwife clinios now being up-graded and oonverted to Rural Community Health Clinics. The various publio health programmes in the country have been so successful beoause of the widespread basic health infrastruoture wh1ch we have built and established sinoe 1957. There are now no less than 261 health oentres and 1168 midwives-clinios allover Peninsular Malaysia and the same pattern of health infrastruoture is being bu1lt in the states of Sabah and Sarawak. The Rural Health Servioe offers an integrated ambulatory medical-oare personal and environmental health servioe and dental servioe within easy aoaess of the rural population.

The vast oapi tal investment we have put into the health servioes ineVitably oalls for a large amount of trained staff at professional and sub-profeSSional level to run the servioes. The M:in1stry has therefore embarked on a massive training programme. Whilst we have been able to araok this problem in so far as the sub-professional staff is oonoerned there is still an aaute shortage of professional staff like dootorsl dental surgeons I pharmaoists not to speak of the speoialists and oonsultants. Our looal training sohools and oentres

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING 77

are producing no les8 than a thousand five hundred paramedical, dental and health staff annually and this figure will soon reach two thousand in one or two years time. In so far as the professional staff is concerned we have two medical schools, a school in pharmaceutical soienoe and a dental faoulty. We need to inorease this further. Besides USing the faoilities available overseas we are also developing our own oapability in oonducting oourses and examinations at post­graduate level for professional staff as well as sub-professional staff. We need and oan absorb all the assistanoe whioh WHO and Member oountries oan provide in this field. We fully realize our staffing problem and are giving all the emphasis we oan to alleviate our staff­shortage.

We have reoognized that the economio and industrial programmes whioh are rapidly expanding in our oountry are oreating new and challenging health problems and the Ministry of Health has been geared to meet the new ohallenges. However, we shall need expertise and guidanoe in these new spheres of responsibilities and I hope the World Health OrganiZation will assist us whenever required.

I am deeply oonoerned with the outbreak of dengue haemorrhagio fever in Malaysia whioh has assumed epidemic proportions during the last two years. This publio health problem is not peouliar only to Malaysia but in all the oountries around us. Dengue haemorrhagio fever has been ooourring and spreading in the South-East Asia and Western Paoifio Regions of WHO during the last two deoades. In reoent years, however, the incidenoe of dengue haemorrhagio fever has been inoreasing in several oountries of the two Regions and the disease has moved from an endemic to an epidemio status. We in Malaysia are extremely oonoerned with this growing health problem and are working hard to oontain it. But the efforts of individual oountries will be nullified if oonoerted aotion i8 not taken to eradioate the disease on a regional and interregional basis. Henoe I would like WHO to ooordinate all the aotivities of individual oountries and where neoessary to provide the assistanoe and expertise in order to eradicate this menace from both the Western Paoific and South-East Asia Regions of WHO.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank WHO and the Regional Director for the Western Paoific Region for all their assistanoe and advioe in the past and look forward to their oontinued support for our publio health programmes now and in the future.

In oonolusion, I would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Treasury, the Public Works Department, the Customs, the Immigration, the Polioe, the Department of Civil Aviation and all other departments and agenoies and all the staff of the Ministry of Health for their oooperative efforts whioh have made the holding of this

78 REGIONAL C<M7IT'lEE: 'NENTY-FIFTH SESSION

Conferenoe possible and last but not least to thank our be:\.oved Prime Minister tor hav1ng been so k1nd to spare some of llls busy, moments to be with us. I would like to wish all the partioipants ot this Meeting every suooess in their deliberations. I f'ully appreciate your very tight and busy programme ot work but I do hope that you will be able to spare some time to see some ot our develoJDent aclllevementsand sample our Malaysian hospi tali ty. May you all have a pleaaant and memorable stay in Malaysia and oome baok to us soon under less pressing ciroumstances.

'!hank you.

. ,

- ,

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEE'I![NG

ANNEX 2

ADDRESS OF WEICOME BY THE HONOURABIE PRIME MJ:NIS'lER. 'ruN HAJI ABDUL RAZAK

79

I am indeed honoured to have this opportunity to address the distinguished representatives of WHO Member cowtries in the Western Paoifio Region, representatives of the various International Organiza­tions represented here today. the Regional Direotor for the Western Paoi:f'io Region. Dr Dy and his staff.

It 1s indeed a double honour for Malaysia to host this 25th sesdon of the Regional 001IIII1 ttee Meeting as 1 t coinoides with the Silver Anniversary of the Regional Office of the WHO and is immediately after our own National Day oelebrations.

I must thank all the delegates of this Region for having so graoiously aooepted our invitation during the 23rd session held in Guam in 1972 for this memorable session to be held in Kuala Lumpur. On behalf of the Government and people of Malaysia. I extend you a wann weloome -- Selamat Datang -- and wish you a pleasant stay here.

It is my belief (and I am sure all of you will agree with me) that the holding of the Regional Committee Meetings in various member oountries provides a better knowledge of the peoples of the region and the health situations of the various oountries. At the same time. it also helpa improve mutual relationship. understanding and respect between mem~r governments and strengthens our oonfidenoe in the World Health Organization.

We in Malaysia were fortunate to inherit a relatively sound health servioe structure from the oolonial administration at the time of our independenoe 1.8 years ago. However# the distribution and particularly the quality of the health services we 1nheri ted varied from State to State and also between areas wi thin a State. The servioes were mainly oonoentrated in the urban areas whereas the rural areas, where more than 7~ of our population lived. lacked adequate medical. health and dental faoilities. It was, therefore. a formidable task for our Ministry of Health to reotify this maldistribution between the urban and rural areas and at the same time to up-grade the quality of the servioes and harman1ze it quantity-wise between the various States. This is all the more important today in keeping with the prime objeotives of the New EoonOlll1o Polioy of my Government to eradicate poverty and inequalities no matter where they exist. Upon this firm foundation. we hope to build. strong. progressive. and united nation out of our multi-racial sooiety.

80 REGIONAL COMMITIEE: 'lWENTY-FIFTH SESSION

We are thankful for the staunch support and sound advice of the World Health Organization in our efforts in re-struoturing our health services, not only in overcoming our immediate and pressing health problems but also in satisfying the hopes and aspirations of our people. ! would like to express my appreciation to the Ministry of Health and its officials for their dedication, diligence and dynamism, whioh have, within the short span of less than two deoades, suooeeded in re-shaping the health services of this countI'll' to conform to the desired obJeotives. The imbalanoe in distribution has now been rectified and, today, there is hardly any area around the country without the basio medical, health and dental facilities.

In oorrecting the imbalance in the distribution of our health services, inadequate communication or inaccessible terrain and the like have not been an impediment to bringing essential health services to our remote and widely scattered isolated population. For instance, in Sarawak, where almost 85% of the population live in isolated long­houses in the far reaches whioh, in some cases, take up to three weeks to reach by normal means of transport, we have introduoed the Flying Dootor Service.

Today, these remote plaoes are visited regularly and the people there can enjoy necessary medioal and health servioes. Seriously ill cases are evacuated to hospitals wi thin a matter of hours. These and other innovations have ensured our isolated popula tion with proper medical and health oare whioh has brought about oonsiderable improvement to their standard of living.

Although we have made much progress in this field, we are not oomplaoent and will continue to improve and expand our services further. Having expanded the services so rapidly, we need now to consolidate our gains and fortify our efforts. As you all know, medicine i8 not a static science and ever',! day we hear of new di8coveries in speoialized areas. We must keep up with this so that our citizens oan be assured of the highest starx1ard of health and quality of life all the time.

Furthermore, health is a ohallenging field -- no sooner is a problem solved than another one emerges. The economic successes we have gained and the relative affluence brought in its wake new and even complicated health problems among our peOple. The changing patterns and mode of living further create problems in health. Industrialization, urbanization and land development invariably bring about problems such as pollution, occupational diseases and hazards, coronary diseases and industrial accidents. In short, as .soon as there is a change in the environment or ecology, we can eJGpect a health problem will emerge. 'lhis is in fact the beginning and not the end, and I am confident that the versatility and resilience with which our respective health authorities have been able to encounter these problems in the past, will enable them to face these challenges with confidence and courage in future.

SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEE'nNG 81/82

Here in Malaysia. our most urgent task is to overcome the acute shortage of trained staff at all levels. While I am happy to note that the shortage of paramedical staff will soon be a thing of the past. there is still the shortage in the professional grades. We believe that the best way to overcome this is to establish our own post-graduate training institutions like the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. Only recently we established the Colleges of Surgeons. Physioians, and General Practitioners, with the oooperation and assistance of medioal oounterparts from overseas from where almost all our specialists have been trained. These Colleges will conduot courses and hold examinations leading to specialist qualifioations in the various disciplines.

It is my hope to see that Malaysia attains professional independence ultimately. In gaining professional independence our Colleges will be playing a very important role. It will also strive to maintain the closely established professional links with the sister colleges overseas. The aim is not only to bring people of the same profession from nations together but also to maintain a high standard of professional practice in Malaysia. We therefore appreciate very much all the assistance we can get from WHO and from member countries in this direction.

In his address Just now. the Minister of Health has expressed his growing concern regarding dengue haemorrhagic fever which has grown from endemic to epidemic proportions. This problem is not confined to Malaysia alone but to many countries in this Region. I am happy to know that one of the topics of your technical discussions during this session will be speoifically on dengue haemorrhagic fever. I would like to request WHO to collaborate and coordinate the various research programmes that are presently being carried out on dengue haemorrhagic fever by various institutions and organizations both within and outside this Region. with a view to advising member oountries on the latest methods and procedures in combating this growing menace. WID should also set up research studies or programmes on other aspeots of this disease which are not currently being covered. The Malaysian Institute for Medical Research has had a long and well-known success history in tropical diseases and I would like to offer the facilities and services of this Institute to assist in any study on research programmes in this field.

I am convinoed that the holding of this meeting in Kuala Illmpur will prove to be a souroe of inspiration to our Ministry of Health in their endeavours to improve the standard of health servioes in this country. The free exchange of views and knowledge will be of mutual benefit to all partiCipants of this meeting. However. I hope that in spite of your busy programme, you will find some time to acquaint yourselves with our people and the Malaysian way of life. so that your short stay in Malaysia will be a happy and memorable one. At the same time. I also hope that you will have interesting and fruitful deli bera tions •

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SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING

ANNEX 3

ADDRESS BY RETIRING CHAIRMAN1

When trying to reoall what retiring Chairmen have said at past sessions of the Regional Committee meetings the obvious step to take was to read the reports of past Committee meetings and find out.

While doing this, I realized that the first Regional Committee

83

I attended was the sixteenth session held in 1965. The retiring Chairman on that oooasion was Dr Jayesuria of Malaysia and inoidenta1ly his alternate in the Malaysian delegation. was Dr Robert Diokie, then of Sarawak but now the Direotor of the Division of Hospitals in the Health Department in New Zealand.

I have attended all but one of the ten Regional Committees involved from then until this, the twenty-fifth session. I mention this to illustrate the importance that my country attaohes to oontinuity of representation at these meetings and I know that other countries have a similar outlook.

Continuity of membership gives strength to the Regional Committee and enables us to give the WHO staff the leadership and support that they both need and deserve. We must always remember that the World Health Organization oonsists both of the staff and ourselves, the members.

Regional Committees play an important part in the work of the Organization and this was brought home to me at my first meeting when the Direotor-Genera1, then Dr Candau, reminded us that:

"The Regional Committee has the important task of helping the Organization formulate the po1ioies that govern the work in the Region, supervising the aotivities of the Regional Offioe, oooperating with the United Nations, the speoialized agenoies and other organizations interested in the field of health, advising WHO on international health matters whioh have wider than Regional significanoe, assisting in planning the programme of work and guiding the Director-General and the Regional Director in the execution of the work of the Organization."

~ead by Dr R. Dickie (New Zealand).

84 REGIONAL COftttUTlEE: 'IWENTY-FIFTH SESSION

This is no light task but one that we must, and in the main do, carry out conscientiously in that spirit of cooperation and understanding that comes from a genuine interest in one another's problems. At these Regional COl!llli ttee sessions the emphasis has always been on health problems and over the years representatives have shown commendable agility in their ability to avoid becoming involved in non-health issues. I have not noticed any diminution in this agility over the years and could give some good examples but this is not the time or the place to do so.

It is important that we keep the emphasis of these meetings on health problems, particularly at a time when we hear with dismay that the health services in some countries may be deteriorating. You will recall that the Executive Board in its recent organizational study reported that in many countries the health services are not keeping pace, either in quality or quantity, with the changing populations and may even be getting worse.

Last year Dr Candau's successor, Dr Mahler, referred to us as being all in the same global spaceship. I suggested at "!+he time that the global spaceship concept was satisfactory for WHO as a whole but at regional level, and particularly in this Western Pacific Region, it is perhaps more appropriate to think in terms of a canoe. I believe that, over the years, the Western Pacific Regional Committee has paddled its canoe strongly and well because we have all tried, and have usually managed, to paddle in unison and as I have said before, over the past ten years much of the credit must go to our navigator, the Regional Director.

Another highlight of my first meeting, and it was the main reason for the Director-General's presence, was that the then Regional Director was due to retire in a few months and one of the responsibilities of the Regional Committee was to make a recommendation to the Executive Board regarding his successor. I am proud to have been a member of the Regional Committee that recommended Dr Francisco Dy.

A thought that I would like to leave with you is that I believe it is necessary for us to be better organized on an informal basis to ensure that the Western Pacific Region maintains its proper re~sentation in the affairs of the Organization. Having had the opportunity to attend the Assembly for the past two years it is my impression that other Regions are doing this. For example, I think it should be agreed which country will be supported to nominate a representative on the Executive Board when the New Zealand nominee has to be replaoed next May and when China's turn comes two years later. Matters such as this should not be left to chance or to the last moment.

I could give other examples but. my point is that I. believe that we should be better organized in this regard so that where necessary representatives will have time to confer with their governments at home.

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SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING 85/86

This means thinking ahead and planning ahead so that representatives come to meetings as fully briefed as possible. I do not believe that this sort of thing can often be done by holding an informal meeting. It lends itself more to the informal approach over coffee, in the corridor and so on, with which we are already familiar. The important thing is that somebody undertakes the job of seeing that representatives are sounded out informally and that they are kept informed of the opinions of other representatives and ultimately of the thinking of the majority. Representatives for their part, must come to Regional Committee sessions well briefed and be willing to be helpful when they are approached so that in the long run the good of the Region as a whole will be served.

Perhaps the role of stimulator and coordinator could be seen as the task of the Chairman who could call on his Vice-Chairman, the immediate past Chairman, and others, to assist him to discover what the wishes of the representatives are, and so to reach a consensus of opinion. For completeness, the Regional Director should be kept fully advised so that he is able to inform any representatives seeking information from him on these very important matters.

Now, may I thank the Goverrunent of Malaysia and its Ministry of Health for extending the invitation to hold the twenty-fifth session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in their beautiful country, and for undertaking the vast amount of work involved. We have an interesting agenda which will give us ample opportunity to act as that international health conscience and coordinator that is our role as members of WHO.

And finally, may I thank the Regional Director and his staff, and all of you, for making my term as Chairman so straight forward and enjoyable.

I thank you all most sincerely.

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SUMMARY RECORD OF THE FIRST MEETING 87/88

ANNEX 4

ADDRESS BY INCOMING CHAIRMAN

On behalf of the Malaysian Delegation and myself, I would like to thank you for electing me as your Chairman for this meeting of the Regional Committee. You have done a great honour to our country. May I, on behalf of the Government of Malaysia, express our deep appreciation of this kindly gesture.

I am aware of the awesome duties and responsibilities of the Chairman in a meeting of such an august body and shall do my level best to fulfill these obligations.

I thank you for the confidence and trust you have put on me and I hope with your cooperation and assistance I shall come up to your expectations and conduct the meeting in the best manner and tradition of the Regional Committee.

This particular meeting of the Regional Committee has a great significance in that it is the Silver Anniversary Meeting for the Western Pacific Region. Malaysia is very proud indeed to be chosen as the venue for this auspicious session of the Committee.

At the Opening Ceremony you have heard the addresses from the Right Honourable Prime Minister and the Minister of Health who have stressed and elaborated the policy, development and achievements of the health services in Malaysia. I do not intend to elaborate any further but just to mention that should any of the delegates wish to visit some of our medical and health institutions or any health programme or activity, they are very welcome to do so. We shall only be too happy to make all the necessary arrangements.

Finally, for my part, I would like to say that it is a pleasure to me to see so many familiar faces once again. For the past so many years we have met and deliberated, dined and wined together and thereby established so much understanding and goodwill like one happy family. And this happy relationship has been brought about in no small measure by the able statesmanship and tactful diplomacy of our Regional Director Dr Francisco J. Dy. To him and members of his staff I would like to pay a great tribute.

I do hope that this spirit of cooperation, goodwill and understanding will prevail in the Regional Committee, and pray that their deliberations at this and future meetings of the Committee will bring forth more benefits and well-being to mankind in this region of the world.

Thank you.