WHA27.52
Intensification of research on tropical parasitic diseases
The Twenty-seventh World Health Assembly,
Recognizing that tropical parasitic diseases are one of the main obstacles to improving the level of health and socio-economic development in countries of the tropical and subtropical zones;
Bearing in mind the need to develop research on matters connected with the most important tropical parasitic diseases;
Realizing that national, regional or global programmes of tropical parasitic disease control can be implemented only if scientifically based methods and effective means for their control are available,
- NOTES with satisfaction that the importance of the medical, social and economic aspects of the major tropical parasitic diseases has been recognized;
- EMPHASIZES the urgent need for further development and intensification of research in this domain;
- RECOMMENDS that Member States of WHO extend the activities of their national institutions for the development of research of prime importance for the control of the major tropical parasitic diseases;
- REQUESTS the Director-General:
- to intensify WHO activities in the field of research on the major tropical parasitic diseases (malaria, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, the trypanosomiases, etc.) taking into consideration that such activities be carried out in endemic areas whenever possible and feasible;
- to define the priorities in research on the problem of tropical parasitic diseases in the various regions of the world, bearing in mind the primary needs of the developing countries;
- to extend cooperation with national institutions and other governmental and nongovernmental organizations in regard to the coordination of research in this field;
- to enlist extrabudgetary resources on a wider scale for these purposes; and
- FURTHER REQUESTS the Director-General to submit a report on progress in the implementation of this resolution to the Executive Board at its fifty-seventh session and to the Twenty-ninth World Health Assembly.