57th World Health
Assembly 2004
IBFAN at the 57TH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY, GENEVA,
MAY
17-22, 2004
(Click
here for related documents)
IBFAN joined the Consumers International team and
followed four main issues at the World Health assembly
(WHA):
- Infant and Young Child Nutrition;
- The Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Exercise and
Health;
- The
WHO Policy on Nongovernmental organizations ;
- HIV/AIDS.
During the infant feeding debate, six countries
( Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands,
Federated States of Micronesia,
Nepal and Palau) tabled a new WHA Resolution
which would be a major step towards
improving infant health.
The
resolution called for :
- labels to warn parents that infant formula
may be 'intrinsicly contaminated.
- a ban of health claims
- a ban on sponsorship of health professionals
by baby food companies
public policies on infant
and young child feeding to
be based
on research
which
is free from
commercial influence.
16 countries made strong
statements welcoming the
draft resolution
and called for its
speedy adoption. However,
because of delays in making
the draft available to
the delegates caused
by the WHO Sectretariat,
the powerful
countries who were protecting
the interests of the 17
billion dollar baby food
industry - were able to
postpone its
adoption.
In its advice to the sponsoring
countries, the WHO
secretariat suggested the
insertion of the
word 'false'
in paragraph
1 (2) which addresses
the WHO Member States - greatly
weakening
the thrust
of the provision.
Despite the fact that
6 countries called
for the
deletion of
this word, the
Chair failed
to put it in square
brackets which are
used to highlight parts
of the
drafts
where
there is no agreement
on language . The Resolution
as it stands
below will
be
discussed by the
WHO Executive Board
in
January 2005 and the
May Assembly.
On
22nd
May
IPS news service
carried summary called “Health
Assembly takes Action on Adults, Newborns Will Have to
Wait”: http://ipsnews.net
"The campaign against obesity was approved by consensus
once objections from
the food industry and sugar-exporting countries were
taken into account in the final text.
But left for future
sessions was a proposal for preventative policies
against bacteria present in powdered milk intended
for infants, and
against certain types of advertising
and labelling that
some of the producers of those products use….
The
developing countries’ proposal to establish
mechanisms of protection for the nutrition of the nursing
infant and toddlers did not lead to agreement on action.
The initiative was rejected under procedural matters
brought up by industrialised countries where the leading
infant formula industries are located”.
Text of draft Resolution
A57/A/Conf.Paper
No 4 20th May
2004
Implementation
of resolutions
(Progress
reports)
Infant and
young child
nutrition
Draft resolution
proposed
by the
delegations
of Fiji,
Kiribati,
Marshall
Islands,
Federated
States
of Micronesia,
Nepal
and Palau
The Fifty-seventh
World
Health
Assembly
Recalling
Resolution
WHA33.32,
endorsing,
in
their
entirety,
the
statement
and
recommendations
made
by
the
Joint
WHO/UNICEF
Meeting
on
Infant
and
Young
Child
Feeding
(1979)
and
noting
that
2004
is
the
twenty-fifth
anniversary
of
that
landmark
meeting.Recalling
resolution
WHA
34.22
on
the
International
Code
of
Marketing
of
Breast-milk
Substitutes
which
stresses
that
adoption
of
and
adherence
to,
the
International
Code
is
a minimum
requirement,
Recalling
also
resolutions
WHA35.26,
WHA37.30,
WHA39.28,
WHA41.11
, WHA43.3
, WHA45.34
,
WHA46.7,
WHA47.5,
WHA54.2
and
in
particular
,
resolution
WHA
55.25
endorsing
the
Global
strategy
for
infant
and
young-child
feeding
Noting
Resolution
WHA
49.15
which
urges
Member
States
ro
ensure
that
financial
support
for
professionals
working
in
infant
and
young
child
health
does
not
create
conflicts of interest;.
Recognising the responsibility
of industry to make full
disclosure of known public
health risks
Aware that several Member
States have recently
issued alerts
to health professionals
regarding
the presence
of pathogens
in powdered infant
formula and the vulnerability
of neonates.
Aware
that Codex Committee on Food Hygiene is
revising Recommendations
on Hygienic
Practice for Foods
for the manufacturing
of foods for Infants
and young
Children.
Concerned that, whereas
consumers have the
right to full and
unbiased information,
health
and nutrition
claims have
become
and effective
means of promoting
the sale of breastmilk
substitutes.
Encouraged by the
progress made by
several Member
States in adopting
legislation prohibiting
commercial sponsorship
of health professionals
or their associations.
Having considered
the summary biennial
progress
report
on infant and
young child nutrition;
(1)
1. URGES Member
States:
1) to ensure
that health-care
providers,
parents,
and carergivers
are informed
that powdered
infant formula
may be contaminated
intrinsically
by pathogenic
micro-organisms
and
that this
information is conveyed
through
explicit
warnings on labels;
and to take
into consideration
other risk-reduction
strategies
proposed
by the Codex
Alimentarius
Commission.;
2) to ensure
that false
health
and nutrition
claims
are not permitted
for foods
for infants
and young
children
3) To take
steps
to prohibit
sponsorship
of health
professionals
and/or
their
associations by any
manufacturers
or
distributor
pf products
within
the
Scope
of the
International
Code
of Marketing
of
Breast-milk
Substitutes
4) to
ensure
that
the
research on
infant
and
young child
feeding
which
forms
the
basis for public
health
policies
is
free from
commercial
influence.
5)
To
continue
their
active
participation
in
the
work
of
the
Codex
Alimentarius
Commission
in
this
area.
2
REQUESTS the
Codex Alimentarius
Commission to
continue to
give full
consideration to
recommendations made
by the
Health Assembly
concerning action
it might
take to
improve the
quality standards
of processed
foods for
infants and
young children,
and, within
the framework
of its
operational mandate,
to give
close attention
to action
urgently required
for the
revision of
standards and
guidelines on
labeling, quality
and safety
of processed
foods for
infants and
young children.
3
REQUESTS the
Director-General:
1
To continue
taking action
on the
relevant recommendations
of the
joint FAO/WHO
meeting on
enterobacter sakazakii
and other
microrganisms in
powdered infant
formula.
2
to uphold
the mandate
of WHO
for the
protection of
health and
safety of
infants and
young children
in the
Codex Alimentarius
standard setting
process
3.
to encourage
and support
independent research
on intrinsic
contamination of
powdered infant
formula and
to collect
evidence in
different parts
of the
world.
(1)
Document 57/18,
section E.
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