WHA delegates spent over 10 hours in diplomatic maneuvers, debates and painful rollcount votes Friday, finally approving two measures that decried the humanitarian crisis in Gaza in sharply different, and sometimes contradictory terms. One motion co-sponsored by a coalition of Algeria, Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, Egypt and other Middle Eastern allies, condemns “indiscriminate attacks” by […] Continue reading ->
Palestine moved close to full recognition by WHO on Friday evening- with the broad approval of a World Health Assembly resolution that gives the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which has limited governing authority in parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, all the rights of WHO member states – short of the vote. The resolution, on “aligning […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – Just six countries in the world are on track to meet global targets to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. At the World Health Assembly (WHA) this week, every country – rich and poor – lamented their struggles to contain rising NCDs, which now cause […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – The United States believes a “good deal” is within reach on the pandemic agreement, with parties “close to consensus,” Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra told reporters at the US Mission in Geneva on Wednesday. “There is a clear consensus that we can’t let the status quo be upon us […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization plans to make climate change and its impact on health a major focus in the coming years, along with strengthening health systems, improving health equity and access, and preventing disease, according to the organization’s plan for its general program of work from 2025 to 2028. The four-year plan, known as GPW-14, […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA — As the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) opened on Monday, global leaders pressed World Health Organization (WHO) member states to conclude a pandemic agreement, despite failing to meet the original deadline for reaching a consensus. The WHA, a week-long gathering that sets the agenda for the WHO, was initially expected to mark the […] Continue reading ->
Although a draft pandemic agreement may take weeks or months longer to conclude, there are moves underfoot to try to quickly wrap up negotiations and get final member state sign-off on amendments to the 2005-era WHO International Health Regulations (IHR) at the this week’s World Health Assembly (WHA), said the co-chair of the working group […] Continue reading ->
In December 2021, as the COVID pandemic continued to rage, WHO Member States established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft an international agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR). The outcome of the negotiations is to be presented at the 77th World Health Assembly, which will meet next week in Geneva. Over the […] Continue reading ->
The rising cost of healthcare is one of the most significant burdens on countries, especially low- and middle-income countries. Research has shown that self-care can be critical in reducing unnecessary expenses for healthcare systems. Global self-care activities generate substantial monetary and healthcare workforce savings, totalling at least approximately $119 billion per year, according to a […] Continue reading ->
Senior WHO officials sounded a cautiously optimistic note Tuesday about the prospects for WHO member states to somehow wrap up down-to-the-wire negotiations on a landmark Pandemic Accord in time to submit a final agreement to the World Health Assembly, which begins next Monday, 27 May. Meanwhile, they heralded the milestone agreement “in principle” to amend […] Continue reading ->