719 



But tlie continuation of function of WHO in this most difficult 

 situation is not limited to services rendered to the countries involved. 

 One of the resolutions of the World Health Assembly in attempting to 

 deal with this problem was to take the regional contestants out of thc- 

 same arena. To accomplish this it established two subcommittees, Sub- 

 committee B essentially for Israel, and Subcommittee A for the other 

 States in the Eastern Mediterranean group. Both the Secretary Gen- 

 eral of WHO and the Eegional Director have made every effort to con- 

 vene both subcommittees but the Regional Director was unable to 

 convene a meeting of the "Israel"' (B) subcommittee in either 1969 or 

 1970. 



Under these circumstances, and according to the 33rd Resolution of 

 the Seventh World Health Assembly, Subcommittee (A) submitted 

 its "opinion" (report) to the Director-General. It had met in 

 Lebanon during Sej)tember 1970, with regrets being expressed that- 

 Ethiopia and Jordan did not attend. France sent a delegate who 

 chanced to be located in an Eastern Mediterranean French territory- ; 

 and, of course, Israel was not supposed to attend. It had been a "Sub- 

 committee B" country for several years. But the meeting came off 

 well just the same, with 19 members and associate members attending, 

 as well as representatives of the UN, the UNDP, UNICEF, FAO, and 

 some 14 international non-governmental and intergovernmental or- 

 ganizations. The 35-page report to the Direct or- General dealt with 

 environmental deterioration, clironic and coimnunicable disease, the 

 Pearson and Jackson Reports, the integration of family planning 

 liealth services into maternal and child care, the shortage of health 

 manpower, and medical education.^"® 



In fact, an impressive agenda was competently handled by this rather 

 makeshaft rump session. Its ac^^omplishment reveals both the abilit}' 

 of who's participants to overcome adversity and the prospect of still 

 larger benefits that could result if the dissident factions cx)uld find a 

 viable coui'se to more general cooperation. On this basis, it is worth- 

 while to examine in detail the achievements of Subcommittee A at its 

 1970 meeting. 



The Director's report stated that the "brain drain" was being over- 

 come with the assistance of WHO, that there were new efforts to 

 eradicate smallpox in Ethiopia, and that a poliomyelitis outbreak in 

 Lebanon had been controlled with WHO assistance. A WHO scientist 

 had surveyed X-ray equipment and safety measui-es in 15 countries. 



A number of recommendations were macle with respect to the control 

 of cholera and tuberculosis and to the strengthening of national health 

 services through a network of health centers. The Subcommittee gave 

 high priority to the training of national manpower; the control and 

 eradication of communicable diseases; and improvement in environ- 

 mental health, community water supplies, laboratory services, nutri- 

 tion, medical research, and radiation protection. 



The report spoke of improved working and housing conditions and 

 of special attention to vulnerable populations. The responsibility of 

 national authorities concerning the health manpower problem was 

 repeatedly emphasized. It was estimated that 5000 new teachers would. 



K* "Report of the 1970 Session of Snb-Committee A of the Regional Committee for the 

 Eastern Mediterranean" (November .'50, 1970). 



