Brazzaville, 6 December 2004 -- An induction briefing for new and existing technical staff working in emergencies from the WHO African Region, and countries identified as priorities in the Three Year Programme (TYP) to Improve Performance in Crises, began Monday at the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

The TYP, an outcome of a broad consultative process involving more than 400 key experts from UN agencies, NGOs and WHO, is a far-reaching WHO-wide effort aimed at optimizing the Organization's contribution to health action in emergency situations worldwide.

The organization of the induction briefing taking place from 6 to 10 December follows a joint decision in 2003 by WHO Headquarters and its six Regional Offices to organize regional induction briefings tailored to meet the challenges of different regions.

Opening the session today, the acting Director of Programme Management at AFRO, Dr Doyin Oluwole, representing the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Ebrahim M. Samba, underlined the importance of the induction briefing, the first being undertaken in the WHO African Region. She stated that the forum was a skills-building workshop that provided an opportunity for WHO staff at all levels working in emergencies to harmonize their efforts, maximize resources and ensure a greater impact of interventions by WHO and its partners in crisis situations.

Dr Oluwole noted that about two billion people worldwide faced health threats because they were at risk of, or exposed to, crisis conditions. The situation was particularly serious in the African region where, she said, man-made disasters, such as wars, and natural hazards such as drought, earthquakes and cyclones have had serious health consequences. These include the outbreak of epidemics resulting from poor sanitary conditions, population displacements and the consequent exposure of the most vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly and the girl-child to disease, abuse and suffering.

She called on Member States to work towards preventing and mitigating the adverse consequences of emergencies by showing greater commitment to good governance and the peaceful resolution of conflicts, and by putting in place good early warning systems and measures to prevent and respond to epidemics.

She also paid tribute to WHO Representatives and Health Action in Crisis (HAC) focal points in the field for their unwavering support to Member States under difficult circumstances.

The Brazzaville induction briefing is being attended by 12 new country- and inter-country HAC focal points in the WHO African Region (AFRO), nine WHO Representatives from priority countries in the region, two staff each from the WHO European and Eastern Mediterranean Regions, and key HAC staff from AFRO.

The objectives of the briefing are to enhance the performance of key staff working in emergencies; establish and strengthen functioning teams in regional and sub-regional locations; strengthen links between country, inter-country, regional and WHO Head quarters staff with key partners from funding agencies; increase the ownership of WHO's work in emergencies among staff, and assess the kind of support HAC staff working in the field would require from WHO Headquarters and the Regional Offices to enable them contribute more effectively to TYP activities in 2005.

Two briefing sessions targeting administrative and finance staff are scheduled for 13-15 December and 15-17 December in Brazzaville and Harare, Zimbabwe, respectively.

Technical contact: