WHA49.22 International Programme on the Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident

The Forty-ninth World Health Assembly,

Recalling resolutions 45/190 and 50/134 of the United Nations General Assembly and resolution 1990/50 of the United Nations Economic and Social Council on international cooperation in activities relating to the Chernobyl accident;

Recalling decision WHA41(9) of the Forty-first World Health Assembly authorizing the Organization to accede to the conventions concerning nuclear accidents;

Recalling resolution WHA44.36 of 16 May 1991 on "International programme on the health effects of the Chernobyl accident";

Noting the reports by the Director-General to the Forty-ninth World Health Assembly on the International Programme to mitigate the Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident and to the ninety-fifth session of the Executive Board on the same subject;

Mindful of the severity of the accident and its grave implications for human health, especially the sharp increase in thyroid cancer as reported at the WHO International Conference on the Health Consequences of the Chernobyl and other Radiological Accidents (Geneva, 20-23 November 1995), the European Union Conference on the Radiological Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident (Minsk, 18-22 March 1996), and the International Conference "One Decade after Chernobyl: Summing up the Radiological Consequences of the Accident" jointly co-sponsored by the European Commission, WHO and IAEA (Vienna, 8-12 April 1996);

Noting with appreciation the work already being done by WHO and other international organizations to monitor and mitigate the adverse effects of the Chernobyl accident, and the support being given by Member States,

1. URGES Member States to participate actively in and to provide further support for the implementation of the International Programme on the Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident;

2. REQUESTS the Director-General:

(1) to continue the implementation of the International Programme, in particular to build on the foundation of the pilot projects in the further development, validation and strengthening of methods, instruments and expertise;

(2) to give emphasis to the monitoring and mitigation of long-term health effects in highly exposed groups, including accident recovery workers and children and other residents of areas heavily contaminated with radioactive materials;

(3) to seek to mitigate other significant health effects that are not radiation-induced but are attributable to the accident, including psychosocial and psychosomatic effects;

(4) to continue close collaboration with other competent international organizations, including organizations of the United Nations system, in the further development and implementation of the International Programme.

Hbk Res., Vol. III (3rd ed.), 1.14.4
(Sixth plenary meeting, 25 May 1996 - Committee B, third report)