Changes in the three diseases cluster at Headquarters may be of interest to some.

[him] moderator

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PHA-Exch> Changes in clusters at WHO
Wed, 17 Oct 2007 15:41:53 +0700
Claudio Schuftan <cschuftan@phmovement.org>
pha-exchange <pha-exchange@lists.kabissa.org>

g_upham@club-internet.fr

From WHO Director General Margaret Chan
Changes in WHO structures

*From: * Director-General
*Sent: * 09 October 2007 13:01
*Subject: * Message to all staff from Director-General

Dear colleagues,

As I have said on several occasions, I inherited a healthy organization.
When I took office in January, I saw no immediate need for extensive
changes in the way our activities are structurally organized. I also
expressed my desire to protect staff, and their work, from the
disruption of major upheavals.

I promised that changes would come, and that these would be gradual. I
intend to consolidate all major changes by the end of this year.

Today, I am announcing a number of changes to bring a closer alignment
around our work on health security and the environment, endemic
communicable diseases, research and UN reform.

The Communicable Diseases (CDS) cluster is renamed* Health Security and
Environment (HSE)* and includes the department of Epidemic and Pandemic
Alert and Response (EPR) with the addition of the Cholera Team and the
team on Disease Control in Humanitarian Emergencies, the department of
Protection of the Human Environment (PHE) and the department of Food
Safety, Zoonoses and Foodborne Diseases (FOS).

The changes within this cluster reflect the expanded scope of the
International Health Regulations (2005), which include emergencies
caused by chemicals and other environmental hazards, and outbreaks of
foodborne disease. Climate change will join emerging and epidemic-prone
diseases as a major threat to health security in this century.

Dr David Heymann will continue to lead this cluster and to serve as
Representative of the Director-General for Polio Eradication.

The HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria (HTM) cluster is renamed* HIV/AIDS, TB,
Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases cluster (HTM)* and includes the
departments of HIV/AIDS (HIV), Global Malaria Programme (GMP), Stop TB
(STB), and Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD).

The rationale for moving the Neglected Tropical Diseases department to
this cluster is two-fold. First, the response to endemic communicable
diseases differs in fundamental ways from that for emerging and
epidemic-prone diseases. Second, the need to scale up the delivery of
existing interventions is shared by all these diseases. Opportunities
for sharing delivery systems likewise exist.

Dr Hiroki Nakatani will continue to lead this cluster

*The Information, Evidence and Research (IER) cluster* includes the
departments of Knowledge Management and Sharing (KMS), Measurement and
Health Information Systems (MHI), Research Policy and Cooperation (RPC),
and the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
(TDR).

The inclusion of TDR in this cluster reflects the increasing role of
this Special Programme in the stewardship of research and in capacity
building within countries. A new department, on Ethics, Equity, Trade
and Human Rights (ETH), has been created by merging two existing
departments, for Ethics, Trade, Human Rights and Law and for Equity,
Poverty, Social Determinants of Health. Dr Nick Drager will be director
ad interim of this new department. Dr Jeanette Vega moves to the Office
of the ADG to complete work on the Commission on Social Determinants of
Health.

Dr Tim Evans will continue to lead this cluster.

The department of Country Focus (CCO) will report to the Representative
of the Director-General for Partnerships and UN Reform within the
Director-General's Office. This change is in line with WHO participation
in ongoing UN reform at the country level.

The cluster of* Sustainable Development and Healthy Environments* no
longer exists.

Ms Susanne Weber-Mosdorf continues as an Assistant Director-General,
with responsibility for European Union Affairs. On the retirement of Dr
John Martin in 2008, she will head the WHO Office at the European Union
in Brussels (WEU).

*Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health cluster: *
Dr Catherine Le Galès-Camus is returning to her home country, France and
I would like to express my gratitude for her contribution to WHO's work.

In addition to his current responsibility, Mr Denis Aitken will serve as
Assistant Director-General ad interim for the Noncommunicable Diseases
and Mental Health cluster with immediate effect.

*Office of the Director-General:*
Mr Liu Peilong, Adviser to the Director-General, is retiring and will
return to China. I would like to express my gratitude for his
contribution to WHO's work.

Mr Fu Cong, from China, is appointed as Adviser to the Director-General.
He is currently Minister Counsellor at the Chinese Mission to the United
Nations, Geneva.

*These changes will take effect from 1 November 2007* and I count on
your support for a smooth implementation.

*****