Brazzaville, 10 March 2005 -- Operations of the World Health Organization (WHO)  in the African Region are being rapidly decentralized “so that focus will be on country level activities” WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has said.

Briefing reporters in Brazzaville Thursday on the outcome of his just-concluded mission to Britain and the United States, Dr Sambo said he told his hosts that the on-going WHO decentralization process in the region would be “completed rapidly” to pave way for  prompt  and increased attention to the health needs of countries.

“In order to cope with the potential increases in resources that would flow to Member States, WHO financial and administrative procedures   at country level will also be strengthened”, Dr Sambo said.   He stressed that the new orientation of  WHO procedures in the region would be underpinned by transparency, a high level of accountability, and a high quality of reporting on results achieved.  “Emphasis would also be placed on   district health systems development with linkages made to local government structures, NGOs and community-based organizations which would ultimately implement health programmes at community level”, he added.

The Regional Director explained that these new arrangements were designed to enhance   substantive expansion in coverage of cost effective interventions for priority diseases and conditions such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), malaria and mother and child health.

While in Britain, Dr Sambo met with senior officials of DFID and the Commission for Africa with whom he discussed WHO’s reform and decentralization agenda and technical programme priorities.  Also discussed were specific areas of current WHO-DFID cooperation including HIV/AIDS, malaria , TB,  mother and child health, epidemic alert and response and health system strengthening.

Dr Sambo’s visit to the United States took him to the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the US Congress, the Pan American Health organization, the World Bank and the International Fund where he received pledges of support for Africa to scale up the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB; improve its health systems, and reduce mother and child deaths, among others.

Dr Sambo stated that despite the current trend of poverty in Africa, he was encouraged by the commitment of his hosts to assist the region accelerate the pace towards the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and the implementation of the health component of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.

For further information, please contact:

Samuel T. Ajibola

Tel : + 47 241 39378

E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int