WHO: World Health Organisation – Core Contribution 2013–2015

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical assistance to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends.

Health represents one of the SDC key priorities as also stated in the bill of parliament 2012 – 2016 where WHO mentioned as one of SDC key partners. According to the SDC Health Policy, the general objective of SDC in health consist in reducing the inequities by strengthening pro poor health systems and making the offer more responsive to the needs. Switzerland contributed significantly to these objectives. The SDC health objectives are also in line with the health priorities of the WHO reflected in the different programme areas and level of the organization.

Switzerland has actively contributed to the reform process as a member of the Executive Board and its Sub-Committee, the PBAC (Programme, Budget and Administrative Committee). Clear results could be achieved in the areas of:

• Health Priority Setting for 2014 – 2019
• Programme and Financial Management
• Human Resources and General Management of the WHO

The following results can be reported:

1. 65 out of 80 organization-wide results of the Health Strategic Objectives are on track (15 at risk)
2. the new priority setting of WHO strategy and programme for 2014 – 2019 has been concluded in 2013
3. WHO internal management and governance reforms have mostly been concluded by the end of 2013
4. The Department of Reproductive Health and Research (HRP+PDRH) has undergone a full reorganization after the appointment of its new Director in 2012. UNAIDS became a permanent member in December 2012. This will strengthen linkages and facilitate synergies between both programmes.
5. TDR successfully completed its reorganization in 2012 with the appointment of a new Programme Director and strenthened its programme. The new strategy was well received and successful transition and full implementation is under way.

SDC will continue with focused statements / interventions and initiatives on:

1. SDC health thematic priorities (eg. Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Health System etc.) within the different Governing bodies and Programmes of WHO.
2. specific SDC health priorities (e.g. CEWG, adolescents sexual and reproductive health and rights) by bringing them on the agenda of the WHO Special Programme TDR/HRP for follow up implementation
3. specific programme and financial management topics, including issues related to Geneva International and Health Campus and Switzerland as a shareholder of WHO

The high achievement of organization-wide results is positive, though corrective action is required within the “at risk” rated objectives. With the implementation of the new General Programme of work 2014 – 2019 and its health priorities, and linked to the overall goal to stronger enhance the culture of evaluation within the organization; a stronger result-chain management will have to be implemented in the Programme Budget Phase 2014 - 2015. It can be expected that by 2014 all remaining issues linked to the Reform programme will be implemented successfully. The WHO Reform initiated in 2011 was mostly carried out according to plan in 2013 and with satisfactory results in terms priority settings for the coming 5 years programme cycle, internal management as well as governance. Remaining issues linked to the initiatied Reform will be finalized by Mai 2014. The Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) has undergone a successful reorganization in 2012-2013, including new priority setting, a new and refocused results framework and a new tentative financial reporting including disaggregated data on budget and achievements for each output defined in the new results framework. Thanks to its successful reform, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) is currently under review and might selected as financing and coordination platform for the CEWG process.

10

1. Australia
2. United Kingdom
3. Norway
4. Netherlands
5. Sweden
6. Belgium
7. Denmark
8. Finland
9. Luxemburg
10. Switzerland

• Canada (Constituency member at the Global Fund)
• Sweden, Norway and Germany
• Stronger with Member States from so called developing Countries
• Swiss NGOs (e.g. aidsfocus Schweiz)
• UNAIDS
• Specific divisions within the WHO Secretariat

Phase 11 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2017   (Completed)