Una ottima notizia dal Canada: la Canadian Public Health Association (http://www.cpha.ca/), durante la sua assemblea annuale, ha passato una risoluzione CONTRO la famigerata WHA12-40. Noi eravamo riusciti a far fare almeno due interrogazioni in Italia: una dei Verdi (Paolo Cento) e ancor prima, una della Lega (Fabio Calzavara). Si chiedeva al Ministro della Sanità di esprimersi contro questo accordo assurdo dell'Organizzazione Mondiale della Sanità, durante l'assemblea mondiale del maggio scorso. Ma per quanto ne sappiamo, Veronesi non ne ha fatto niente. Peccato, si è persa una occasione che ci avrebbe dato lustro e credibilità (cioè, se l'è persa questo governo).

A resolution on the 1959 IAEA/WHO Agreement passed at the  AGM of the Cdn Public Health Association (CPHA).

The current President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA), who is Canadian, has said it may have some difficulty at the WFPHA unless it has come through national public health associations first.

I put this up in the hope that others might pick it up for their national PHAs (Public Health Associations).

Think global, act national!!

Debbie Grisdale
Physicians for Global Survival

WHEREAS Article I of the Agreement between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) of 28 May 1959 recognizes that "... the IAEA has the primary responsibility for encouraging, assisting and co-ordinating research on, and development and practical application of  atomic energy for peaceful uses throughout the world without prejudice to the right of the WHO to concern itself with promoting, developing, assisting and co-ordinating international health work, including research, in all its aspects.";

WHEREAS the requirement in Article I (3) of the WHO/IAEA Agreement states that "Whenever either organization proposes to initiate a programme or activity on a subject in which the other organization has or may have a substantial interest, the first party shall consult the other with a view to adjusting the matter by mutual consent.";

WHEREAS Article III(2) of the WHO/IAEA Agreement requires that, allowing for the safeguarding of confidential information,  the Secretariat of the IAEA and the Secretariat of the WHO shall keep each other fully informed concerning all projected activities and all programmes of work which may be of interest to both parties;

WHEREAS according to the WHO Constitution, the availability of all information relating to the health risks to a population or populations is necessary to enable the WHO to fulfill its mandate;

WHEREAS  promotion of the development and practical application of nuclear energy, as is the mandate of the IAEA, could lead to or contribute to potential health risks for a population or populations;

WHEREAS at the time of this agreement (1959) , at the onset of the "Atoms for Peace" programme, the severe health and environmental risks of nuclear energy were generally unknown and under such circumstances, the WHO entered into an agreement with the IAEA which allows for considerable IAEA authority over nuclear energy programmes internationally;

WHEREAS since 1959 specific nuclear disasters including those at Sellafield, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl  demonstrate the health risks of nuclear energy;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Canadian Public Health  Association lobby the Canadian government to request that the World Health Assembly amend the Agreement between the IAEA and the WH0 (Res. WHA12-40 of 28 May 1959) in the following manner:

    i) amend the requirement that any WHO program on health effects of nuclear energy must be discussed with and agreed to by the IAEA to read that 'the first party will inform the other'

    ii) amend the provision safeguarding confidential information to allow for non-disclosure of only such information which has no bearing on health or environmental risks.

AND FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED THAT the CPHA bring this resolution to attention of the World Federation of Public Health Associations and request their support and that of their membership.