WHO estimates that 1.5 million children die every year from poor feeding practices and that only a third of children worldwide are exclusively breastfed in their first four months. By October this year, all countries will have had a chance to mull over and, eventually, Mrs Saadeh and her colleagues hope, adopt the new strategy. Since 1982, the two institutions have been working together in health research, development and humanitarian aid, environmental issues, chemical products, food safety, surveillance of communicable diseases and monitoring of health. A joint statement by Dr Brundtland and Mr Byrne flags anti- tobacco activities as a top priority area. In mid-December, WHO issued a report listing the damage to health and health services in the Palestine Self Rule Areas as a result of the current violence affecting the region.
Health facilities have been overwhelmed by the sudden burden of patients , the report says.
Nearly two-thirds of deaths in developing countries are due to diseases that can be treated by common essential drugs. But such drugs are not available to an estimated one- third of the world s population, according to WHO figures. The indicators to be tested are still being finalized but are likely to include such things as availability, geographical accessibility, affordability, acceptability, quality of production and related services for essential drugs. General Gro Harlem Brundtland in Kenya. Health Day celebrations around the world, under the slogan Stop exclusion, Dare to care.