The mission comprises a team of experts in environmental health and will make a first assessment of the requirements and needs, and make recommendations, in order to:

• Collect information on population exposure to depleted uranium and other toxic substances as a consequence of the military operation in the Balkans.
• Verify the available data on cancer and leukaemia incidence, and other conditions, in the Kosovo population, which might be related to environmental exposure to DU and other toxic agents.
• Identify potential health risks to people who may have been exposed to these agents which may require medical monitoring and follow-up.

The mission will also permit WHO to advise UNMIK on the following:

• Recommended short-term measures to prevent further exposure, if any, to toxic agents.
• Recommended possible medium or longer-term actions and a draft work programme.
• Useful information to be provided to the general public.
• Other matters that would benefit from taking immediate action.

The team visiting Kosovo is appointed by the WHO Regional Office of Europe and, while in Kosovo, will report to the WHO Head of Mission in Pristina. It will consist of four people: a chemical toxicologist, an environmental epidemiologist, an environmental health expert and a radiation epidemiologist.

It is expected that this initial mission will last one week.