Statement of the World Health Organization in Advance of the
Feb. 26-27 meeting at the University of VirginiaÕs Jordan Hall
Conference Center:

	The purpose of the meeting is to promote the establishment of
a collaborative partnership between a number of African governments,
other developing countries, WHO, and other academic institutions in
order to design a networking system to provide support for health
development in these countries.  The meeting will review health action
priorities for the people of these countries and will identify
appropriate strategies of how WHO, the international community, and
academic institutions can collaborate to ensure a sustainable
improvement in peoplesÕ health and social well being.  The focus of
the meeting is to bring together various interested parties so as to
promote a stronger collaborative framework. Priority will be given to
enhance countriesÕ capacity building bearing in mind broader
national needs such as health sector reform and assessment and
transfer of technology.  The meeting also aims at mobilizing technical
and financial resources for priority health development activities in
developing countries.

	Senior government officials and decision-makers from five
developing nations, namely Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Namibia
are invited to participate in the meeting.  Representatives of
unilateral and bilateral agencies, the private sector and foundations
involve in health sector development in developing countries will also
attend the meeting and contribute by sharing their experiences.

###

February 20, 1997