TDR’s Joint Coordinating Board (JCB) is this institution’s highest decision-making body, with oversight on policy, programmes and related budget issues. It is composed of equal numbers of donor countries and disease endemic countries3. Representatives of key stakeholder groups – such as NGOs, Public Private Partnerships, countries not represented on the JCB and research institutions – are invited to attend JCB meetings as observers. The JCB is advised by a Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) of some 18 members and by a Standing Committee4.

The Health of the People: the African Regional Health Report of the World Health Organization is a landmark document in several respects. It is the first report of its kind that presents an African perspective on the continent’s health crises, bright spots, and proposals for action to improve the situation for the 738 million children, women and men living in countries that collectively make up the WHO AFRO region.  

WHO’s role and responsibilities in health research. A resolution will be presented to the World Health Assembly in May 2007. Countries ask for a WHO strategy on health research; some have called for a health research focal point in the organisation.

The 59th World Health Assembly (WHA) took place in Geneva from 22 to 27 May 2006. Following up from the Executive Board discussions of last January, health research was addressed in two points of the WHA agenda: “Intellectual Property Rights” (agenda item 11.11) and “WHO’s Role and Responsibilities in Health Research” (11.13).

A few issues in health research …