DUSHANBE, May 17, Asia-Plus  -- Health Minister Nusratullo Salimov, heading Tajik delegation, today left for Geneva to attend the 61st session of World Health Assembly, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The delegation members include Mr. Salohiddin Miraliyev, aide to the minister, and MS. Dilorom Sodiqova, the chairperson of the MoH department for reform management and international ties.  

The MoH source said that Tajikistan had received invitation to attend the session from the European member states will attend the session, according to him.  

   The 61st session of the World Health Assembly will take place in Geneva from May 19 to May 24, 2008.  At this session, the Health Assembly will discuss a number of public health issues, including: pandemic influenza preparedness: sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits; prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, implementation of the global strategy; public health, innovation and intellectual property: draft global strategy and plan of action; female genital mutilation; strategies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol; and climate change and health.

The Health Assembly will also discuss the program budget, administration and management matters of WHO.

The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for WHO.  It meets once a year and is attended by delegations from all of WHO''s 193 Member States. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organization. It also appoints the Director-General and supervises the financial policies of the Organization.

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