WHO / WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the vaccination against Ebola virus has started today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a bid to halt the newest outbreak of the deadly disease. WHO

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:12
• Production Date: 21 May 2018
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION - WHO
• Subject Topical: EBOLA VIRUS DISEASE; HEALTH CARE
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: 2156424
• Parent Id: 2156424
• Alternate Title: unifeed180521c

Description

STORY: WHO / WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY
TRT: 2:12
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 21 MAY 2018, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Various shots, delegates entering hall
2. Wide shot, assembly hall
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization:
“It’s concerning that we now have cases of Ebola in an urban center, but we are much better placed to deal with this outbreak than we were in 2014. I’m pleased to say that vaccination is starting as we speak today.”
4. Cutaway, meeting
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization:
“The vision set at our founding 70 years ago was not a modest vision. Our Constitution is not a modest document. Our founders did not set out to make modest improvements in health. They envisioned a world in which all people enjoy the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental human right.”
6. Cutaway, delegates
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization:
“Many of the countries I have visited, including China, Cuba, Denmark, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom are living proof that universal health coverage is not a pipe dream: it’s a reality for all countries all over the world, at all income levels.”
8. Cutaway, delegates
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda and President of the African Union:
“Our experience in Rwanda is that an early emphasis on primary healthcare was one of the most effective strategies for rebuilding trust between citizens and the government in the aftermath of our national tragedy.”
10. Cutaway, delegates
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda and President of the African Union:
“As it embarks on it’s 8th decade, the World Health Organization is as essential and central as ever.”
12. Wide shot, end of meeting

Storyline

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the vaccination against Ebola virus has started today in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a bid to halt the newest outbreak of the deadly disease.

Speaking at the opening of the World Health Assembly in Geneva Monday (21 May), the Director-General of the World Health Organization Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “it’s concerning that we now have cases of Ebola in an urban center” but adding that “we are much better placed to deal with this outbreak than we were in 2014” when Ebola outbreak took more than 11 000 lives across multiple countries across the West Africa.

The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.

In his opening remarks the Director-General Ghebreyesus said “the vision set at our founding 70 years ago was not a modest vision. Our Constitution is not a modest document. Our founders did not set out to make modest improvements in health. They envisioned a world in which all people enjoy the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental human right.”

Ghebreyesus, who assumed the governing of the UN health body in July 2017, also said that “many of the countries I have visited, including China, Cuba, Denmark, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom are living proof that universal health coverage is not a pipe dream: it’s a reality for all countries all over the world, at all income levels.”

Also speaking at the opening of the Assembly, Rwandan President paul Kagame said “our experience in Rwanda is that an early emphasis on primary healthcare was one of the most effective strategies for rebuilding trust between citizens and the government in the aftermath of our national tragedy.”

Kagame emphasized that “as it embarks on it’s 8th decade, the World Health Organization is as essential and central as ever.”

This year's Health Assembly takes place from 21 to26 May 2018 in Geneva, Switzerland.

The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget.