13th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting

01/65 10 October 2001

MEDIA ADVISORY NOTE

13th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting

'Priority Setting in Health Systems'

The 13th Triennial Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM) will take place in Christchurch, New Zealand, from 25 to 29 November 2001.

Ministers and delegations from 52 Commonwealth countries have been invited. A total of 14 Commonwealth associations, other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and partner agencies have been invited as observers.

The theme is Priority Setting in Health Systems. The agenda will include:

· the impact of globalisation on health: the need to invest in health; responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic; the digital divide; and access to essential drugs.

· resources for health ? both financial and human investments will be addressed. Particular attention will be given to a draft Code of Practice for international recruitment of health personnel, which the Commonwealth Secretariat has developed at the request of Health Ministers.

· improving the efficiency and effectiveness of health systems ? particularly regional initiatives for cooperation between countries, tobacco control and the role of international health priorities in improving service delivery in individual countries.

The meeting will be chaired by the New Zealand Health Minister, the Hon Annette King. More than 200 people from Governments, agencies and NGOs are expected to attend.

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There will be an opportunity at the end of each day for the media to speak with Ministers ? a panel will be selected each day based on requests from the media.

Further details about the meeting can be found on the website www.13CHMM.org.nzThis website is dedicated to the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting and is regularly updated.

The meeting venue will be:

Christchurch Convention Centre 95 Kilmore Street Christchurch New Zealand Phone: 0064 (0) 3 366 8899 Fax: 0064 (0) 3 363 3364 Website: www.convention.co.nz

Parallel Event

There will be a parallel Commonwealth Health Symposium and Trade Fair providing a forum for academic, private sector and civil society specialists to discuss health priorities in the Commonwealth. Against the backdrop of a trade exhibition, the symposium will disseminate the views of health-care specialists and other stakeholders in the public, private and non-governmental sectors.

The parallel symposium and trade fair are organised by Kensington Publications Ltd (KPL), a London-based private-sector company working in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat.

For further information about the parallel event, please contact KPL at:

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7717 1041 (conference hotline) E-mail: healthnz@kplgroup.com Web site: www.commonwealth-healthnz.com

Media Accreditation

Media representatives wishing to cover the 13th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting must be accredited in order to have access to the conference venue and meeting sessions. Accreditation is open to all bona fide news organisations. Freelance media represented must be sponsored by a recognised news organisation and attach a letter of assignment to the accreditation form.

Journalists attending the conference must hold a valid passport. The New Zealand Government has advised that nationals of the following Commonwealth countries must have visas for entry into New Zealand: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji Islands, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu, Zambia.

Visas must be obtained before departure from the home country. Further details about visa requirements and media equipment can be found on the website www.13CHMM.org.nzunder the heading 'Meeting'.

Media representatives are required to book and pay for their own hotel accommodation. For hotel information please contact:

Christchurch & Canterbury New Zealand Tourism Visitor Information PO Box 2600 Christchurch, New Zealand

Tel: +64 (0) 3 379 9629 Fax: +64 (0) 3 377 2424 E-mail: info@christchurchnz.net Web site:www.christchurchnz.net (under 'Accommodation')

For further information about the Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, including accreditation enquiries, please contact:

Daniel Woolford Conference Spokesperson Information and Public Affairs Division Commonwealth Secretariat Marlborough House Pall Mall London SW1Y 5HX United Kingdom

Tel. +44 (0)20 7747 6514 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081 E-mail: d.woolford@commonwealth.int

For general information about the Commonwealth, please contact:

Information and Public Affairs Tel: +44 (0) 20 7747 6385 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7839 9081 E-mail: info@commonwealth.int Web site: www.thecommonwealth.org

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