Margaret Chan (陈冯富珍)- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) met directors of Shanghai WHO cooperating centers at Jiuxiao Hall of 11th floor in the Peace Hotel on the evening of Jul. 15. WHO's China Representative Lan Ruimin, Director-General consultant of WHO Fu Chong, translator of WHO Representative Office in China Fu Xi Juan, former Director-General of WHO Hu Qingli, Director of International Cooperation Division of Ministry of Health Ren Minghui, Vice director of China Disease Prevention and Control Huang Yu, Vice secretary of the communist party of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Huang Hong, Vice-director of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Shen Yuandong and Vice inspector of Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau Li Zhongyang accompanied at the meeting.
After the self-introduction of each director of Shanghai WHOCC, Director of WHOCC for blood transfusion services Zhu Yongming reported the consensus of the Fifth Shanghai WHO Collaborating Centre director meeting which was held earlier in that afternoon, there were three main issues :
1. The main topic of this meeting is “ How WHOCC service better and focus on WHO strategic targets. All participants agreed on : 1) all WHOCC should contribute to service for WHO strategic targets; 2) Each level of relating administration including the socity should support the work of WHOCC; 3) WHOCC should actively keep communication with WHO; 4) WHO and each level of government should bring WHOCC more into play.
2. The suggestions were put forward to improve the work of WHO and relating departments on: 1) The fund support should not be cut down once WHO approved; 2) WHO should provide and keep effective communication and timely reply. 3) WHO Representative Office in China and each division of Ministry of Health should consider more the needs of other WHOCC beyond Beijing area when arranging fund supports. 4) WHO should hold a large scale WHOCC director meeting in headquarters when applicable,
3. Zhu presented a brief summary report on the activities taken by WHOCC for blood transfusion services and the introduction about the cooperating with other WHOCC outside China (Australian National serology Reference Laboratory, WHOCC for Diagnostics and Laboratory Support for HIV/AIDS and Other Blood –borne Infections).
Director-General expressed her appreciation on Zhu’s reports, and made reply for consensus and suggestions one by one. She highly commented and encouraged about all WHOCC should contribute to service for WHO strategic targets, she thought this issue represented the soft power and responsibility for China, the experience made by China and Shanghai was not only helpful for developing countries, but also acted as a reference for developed countries. She quoted the speech of the director of International Cooperation Division of Ministry of Health Ren Minghui:” Hope Shanghai WHOCC serve for the whole country and explore to the world based in Shanghai,.” As for the financial aid, she frankly admitted the difficulties WHO met in raising fund, some countries cut down their promised donation because of the financial crisis, WHO had to take steps to cut down the budget including reducing the fund amount for approved projects, temporarily terminating some projects and reducing employees. However, she said, WHO would keep supports WHOCC to provide aids to others, she asked WHO Representative Office in China to allocate some from existing fund as Start-up capital.
As for current poor communication, she thought poor communication had been a trouble for a long period, even it sometime existed within WHO headquarters, Regional offices and Representative Office in different countries. But it had been improved in the past four years, she suggested all communication be copied and be forwarded to WHO Representative Office in China which would take the responsibility to trace it.
Director-General said: WHO has strengthened the assessment of performance for WHOCC, strived to increase effectivity while decrease the number of WHOCC, for example, the number of WHOCC in one main European country has been cut half. In general WHOCC in Shanghai perform well in past years. She agreed on the suggestion about the role of WHOCC and setting up a specific foundation to aid others. As the suggestion to hold a large scale WHOCC director meeting in headquarters, She thought it would be more feasible under lines of different work area, and she would talk it more with relating officers.
Officers from WHO Representative Office in China and International Cooperation Division of Ministry of Health both gave positive and timely responses to these consensus and suggestions.
JIN Ye Reported LI Qin Translated
Dr Margaret Chan and the directors of Shanghai WHO Collaborating Centers
