Sharing responsibility, protecting public health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) opened a week-long meeting, beginning on May 18th, to discuss and find solutions to pressing global health issues. Alongside this, the WHO emphasized the need to “reshape global health, with shared responsibility.”

The 79th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA-79) in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo: Xinhua News Agency

Platform for overcoming challenges

The 79th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA-79) – the highest decision-making and policy-making body of the WHO – is taking place in Geneva, Switzerland. The session is discussing human health in the face of climate change, air pollution, and emerging diseases, as well as opportunities arising from sustainable energy and response capabilities.

Many experts worldwide call "climate change a global health emergency." It is causing an increase in temperature-related illnesses and deaths, altering patterns of infectious disease transmission, and even leading to fatalities from extreme weather events such as storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires, putting immense pressure on healthcare systems. The World Bank (WB) forecasts that climate change could lead to at least $21 trillion in increased healthcare costs in low- and middle-income countries by 2050.

Meanwhile, the WHO estimates that nine out of ten people worldwide are breathing air with high concentrations of pollutants, leading to 7 million premature deaths each year. Furthermore, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the Hanta virus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, which resulted in three deaths, and the Ebola epidemic in Africa, which claimed over 80 lives, raise concerns about the risk of spread and are the latest crises in a volatile world.

“From conflict to economic crisis, climate change and aid cuts, we are living in difficult times,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, according to AFP. This includes a 21% budget cut for the WHO, equivalent to nearly $1 billion, hundreds of job losses, and scaled-down programs. The US and Argentina are scheduled to officially withdraw from the WHO in early 2026.

Notably, speaking at WHA-79, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, whose country was praised for allowing the MV Hondius carrying Hanta virus cases to dock in Tenerife on May 10th to evacuate passengers and crew, emphasized, "protecting others is the best way to protect yourself."

Reshaping global healthcare

WHA-79 was held under the theme: “Reshaping Global Health: Shared Responsibility.” “Six years after the global COVID-19 pandemic, the world’s health architecture is changing rapidly,” Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama told the conference, according to Xinhua. In his opening address, WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the need to “build a new global health architecture that is fit for the future.”

Tedros said that this year's session will consider a proposal for a common process, led by member states and chaired by the WHO, to reform the global health structure. Reshaping global health is an urgent requirement to strengthen the ability to respond to potential future pandemics, improve transparency, and ensure independence from geopolitical fluctuations and tensions around the world. The WHO leader emphasized that the WHO has been, is, and will continue to work to build a stable and resilient organization, and to ensure its future.

For example, the WHO established the World Health Data Center to develop a modern data system. In addition, to support countries in harnessing the power of digital technology and AI for health, the WHO established a dedicated unit at its headquarters with contact points across six regions. To enhance its ability to respond to threats more quickly, the WHO established a Pandemic Intelligence Centre in Berlin...

The WHO believes that accelerating the transition to renewable, clean, and energy-efficient energy is a pressing need, as fossil fuels cause climate change and emit particulate matter that claims the lives of millions of people each year. Global cooperation and information sharing on medical advancements and climate change mitigation play a core role in protecting public health.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/chia-se-trach-nhiem-bao-ve-suc-khoe-cong-dong-3337286.html