At the invitation of the Minister of Health, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Chui Sai On, attended the 55th World Health Assembly held in Geneva from 13 to 18 May.

Mr. Chui, accompanied by Health Bureau Director Kui Kuok Ieng and Vice-director Lei Chin Ion, was included in the delegation from China.

During the six-day meeting, delegates from the World Health Organization's (WHO) 191 Member States discussed and passed a series of global strategies on the prevention of infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and dengue fever, and on the eradication of smallpox and poliomyelitis.

The WHO also called upon the Member States to participate in a global health strategy to ensure access to medicine.

The delegates concluded that the control of infectious agents (mosquitoes) is currently the most effective measure against dengue fever. This method has been adopted in Macao since the outbreak last summer.

The World Health Assembly is the WHO's supreme decision-making body. Delegates from the WHO's 191 Member States attend the World Health Assembly in Geneva in May of each year to debate and set WHO policy and direction.