Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly guidelines and information for media
The Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA) will take place from 22-27 May 2006 at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland. The WHA is the annual meeting of the World Health Organization's (WHO) 192 Member States. Issues to be discussed include: strengthening pandemic-influenza preparedness and response, including application of the International Health Regulations 2005; infant and young child nutrition; HIV/AIDS; polio eradication; sickle-cell anaemia; smallpox eradication and the destruction of variola virus stocks; prevention of avoidable blindness and visual impairment; international trade and health; the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; intellectual property rights, and the WHO Eleventh General Programme of Work, 2006-2015.
The Assembly will consider several draft resolutions recommended by the Executive Board on these and other issues.
Keynote speaker
On Tuesday 23 May the keynote speaker will be His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales. The Prince of Wales is President of The Prince's Foundation for Integrated Health and Patron of a number of health charities. His Royal Highness has been made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine in recognition of his work in this field.
The agenda, the daily Journal and other WHA documents can be found at: http://www.who.int/gb/ and will be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Media Accreditation procedures
Correspondents wishing to cover the WHA must be accredited by the office of the United Nations Department of Public Information (DPI) at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. To do this, journalists should send a fax requesting accreditation to + 41 22 917 0073, along with a letter signed by their editor indicating the reason for accreditation and the dates for which accreditation is required, a photocopy of media credentials and passport.
Once these documents have been approved by DPI, journalists can collect their accreditation at the Villa les Feuillantines, 13 avenue de la Paix. (The villa is located at the end of a narrow road leading off the main road from Place des Nations to the Red Cross on the left hand side - 150 metres from the Place des Nations). Journalists can call +41 22 917 2313, or +41 22 917 2336 or email cfegli@unog.ch for more information.
** Please note that UN accreditation offices will be closed on 25 May. Journalists wishing to get accredited on 25 May should proceed to WHO headquarters. Please be reminded that the same UN accreditation procedures will apply. Contact Cecilia Mazuy if there are any questions, Tel: 022 791 2108, mail: mazuyc@who.int. **
WHO Media Office
During the WHA, documents for journalists will be available at the WHO media documents office on the eighth floor of the Palais des Nations, Room A 843. WHO media and communications staff will be in rooms A631 and A633. A full list of WHO staff serving the media, their offices, and phone numbers are attached to this media advisory.
Daily Journal of the World Health Assembly/News Releases/Other documents
Media materials and official documents will be available in the WHO media documents office and in UN Press Room I. The daily Journal of the WHA contains the day's agenda. Note that schedules and locations are subject to change.
Media Announcements
Announcements will be made in the UN Press Room of the Palais des Nations via the loudspeaker system regarding the issuing of important documents and news releases, the scheduling of news conferences and briefings, and other items of interest to correspondents.
WHO Director-General's Speech
Dr LEE Jong-wook is scheduled to address the Assembly during the second plenary meeting on the afternoon of Monday, 22 May.
Advance texts: materials under embargo
Some texts of speeches, statements and other materials will be issued under embargo. Please respect the release date and hour indicated.
Access to meetings
Most WHA meetings are open to the media and can be covered from specially designated press areas. Correspondents should consult the daily Journal of the World Health Assembly for information on whether meetings are "open" or "closed". To avoid access problems, journalists must wear their accreditation badges visibly.
Journalists may enter the floor of the Assembly Hall and committee rooms only before or after meetings, but must leave promptly when the meeting is about to begin.
**Under no circumstances may journalists stay on the floor of the Assembly Hall when meetings are taking place**
Photographs
Information on the WHO Photo Service for media can be obtained from Mr Chris Black, Tel. +41 22 791 1460 or mobile: +41 79 472 6054.
Video for Broadcasters
For information on taping of events in the Assembly Hall (plenary session), taping of interviews for broadcast TV and the feedpoint to EBU Geneva through UNTV Geneva, please contact Jean-Marc Glinz, Palais des Nations, Office E21 at UNTV Studio (Studio TV - Under door 40 in Level 0), Tel.: +41 22 917 5954 or mobile: +41 79 475 5515, email: glinzj@who.int.
Please note that:
General information for photo & television correspondents
For more information contact:
WHO Media Centre
WHO/Geneva
Telephone: +41 22 791 2222
Fadéla Chaib
Communications Officer
WHO/Geneva
Telephone: +41 22 791 3228
Mobile phone: +41 79 475 5556
E-mail: chaibf@who.int
Veronica Riemer
WHO, Geneva
Telephone: +41 22 791 436
Mobile phone: +41 79 754 7922
E-mail: riemerv@who.int