WHO chief hopes for historic agreement on approach

On May 21, the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) opened in Geneva, Switzerland, focusing on "saving lives and improving health for all".

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that 2023 is the 75th anniversary of the organization, according to which the 76th WHA will determine the immediate and long-term future of WHO, starting with the draft budget for the next 2 years, important decisions on sustainable financing and changes to improve WHO's processes and accountability.

During the 10-day meeting, delegates will discuss WHO’s vital role in the global health emergency system. The meeting will also review WHO’s achievements and challenges over the past year, and future priorities based on its key pillars: Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Emergencies and Promoting Health and Well-Being.

In a video address to the opening of the session, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that "achieving the best health for all people everywhere requires cooperation". Mr. Guterres said that since the WHO was founded 75 years ago, human health has improved significantly, adding that global life expectancy has increased by 50%, infant mortality has decreased by 60% and smallpox has been eradicated. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic that has stalled and even reversed progress in the field of public health, threatening to erode the great achievements of the past decades and set back the Sustainable Development Goals, Mr. Guterres called on the world to "continue to work together and support WHO to achieve the highest standards of health for all".

In his opening remarks at the 76th WHA, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recalled the important achievements the organization has made over the past 75 years. He stressed that the WHO faces complex challenges as the world's expectations of the organization have increased significantly.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said member states have begun negotiations on an international agreement to ensure the world is better equipped to prevent or respond more effectively to future pandemics. It should be a “historic agreement” that would mark a dramatic shift in the approach to global health security after the Covid-19 crisis. Negotiations are still at an early stage, but the goal is to have an agreement by the time of the next World Health Assembly in May next year. This was also the message of a series of other high-level speakers on the same day.

News and photos: VNA

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