The Executive Board of the WHO is composed of 34 national member representatives technically qualified in the field of health. During this board meeting, the agenda for the forthcoming World Health Assembly is agreed upon and resolutions adopted for forwarding to the World Health Assembly.

The technical and health matters on this years’ agenda included:

• Pandemic influenza preparedness: sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits;

• Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005);

• Public health, innovation and intellectual property: global strategy and plan of action;

• Monitoring of the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals;

• Infant and young child nutrition: quadrennial progress report;

• Birth defects;

• Prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases: implementation of the global Strategy;

• Strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol;

• Tuberculosis control;

• Viral hepatitis;

• Smallpox eradication: destruction of variola virus stocks; and the,

• Availability, safety and quality of blood products.

Initial discussions focused on assessment and response to the immediate health priorities in Haiti following the earthquake. Reports were also shared on the progress towards achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals, public health, innovation and intellectual property, and the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases.

A key outcome of the EB is the provisional agenda for the forthcoming World Health Assembly, which can be downloaded, here.

For more information and further documentation related to the EB, visit www.who.int/eb.