World Health Assembly agrees on a set of wide-ranging and impactful amendments to improve the International Health Regulations and sets a deadline to conclude negotiations on the proposed agreement on pandemics
Today is a historic day for the World Health Assembly. At this year’s annual meeting, the 194 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed on a set of critical amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) and made a firm commitment to finalize within a negotiations on the future global agreement on pandemics this year. The objective of these achievements is to provide all countries with coherent and comprehensive systems to protect the health and safety of their population against the risk of new pandemics being declared in the future.
With these decisions, the countries take two leaps forward on the same day, coinciding with the last day of the 77th World Health Assembly. The approved set of amendments to the Regulations will strengthen preparedness, surveillance and action in the face of public health emergencies, including pandemics, and reflects lessons learned from several emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
Related documents
A77/A/CONF./14 Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) agreed at the 77th World Health Assembly
More information about the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (in English)
Items whose exam ended after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 31
Report on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory
On 31 May 2024, the World Health Assembly took note of the report on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan. The report explains the support provided to the Palestinian territory’s health care system until October 2023, before the escalation of the conflict. In addition, the Health Assembly adopted a decision on the same subject, to which four amendments were incorporated.
Related documents
A77/18 Health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan (June 1 to October 7, 2023)
A77/B/CONF./1 Decision on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
A77/B/CONF./3 Amendments to the decision on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
A77/B/CONF./4 Amendments to the decision on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
Current health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
Member States acknowledged receipt of the report of the Director-General of WHO on the public health implications of the crisis affecting the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem. The report describes this unprecedented humanitarian crisis, which is characterized by exorbitant levels of morbidity and mortality among the civilian population, forced displacement, the destruction of essential infrastructure and attacks on the health care system. Mass displacement, severe overcrowding, and poor access to water, sanitation, and health care for displaced people create a high risk of infectious disease outbreaks. The report also explains the work that WHO has done to tackle the crisis, which includes coordinating the health care response with partners and high-risk missions to hospitals to assess the situation, deliver essential materials, coordinate the dispatch of emergency medical teams and help evacuate patients. The report also calls for a ceasefire, free access for aid and humanitarian workers, and respect for international humanitarian law.
Related document
A77/12 Report on the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
Harmonization of Palestinian participation in the World Health Organization and the United Nations
On Friday, May 31, 2024, Member States adopted a resolution on the harmonization of Palestine’s participation in the World Health Organization and the United Nations granting Palestine, by virtue of its Observer State status , a series of rights and privileges at the World Health Assembly and other WHO meetings, such as sitting among Member States, expressing opinions on a wide range of issues, making proposals and expressing certain positions before the Health Assembly. However, Palestine maintains its Observer status and, therefore, does not have the right to vote or present candidatures to be part of the WHO bodies. This is the first time that the World Health Assembly refers to Palestine as a State.
In 2012, the United Nations granted Palestine non-member Observer State status, and in May 2024, the General Assembly granted it expanded rights as an Observer State (see General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-10/23 of the United Nations).
Related document
A77/B/CONF./2 Harmonization of Palestinian participation in the World Health Organization and the United Nations
Strengthening emergency preparedness and response in cities and urban environments
Cities are especially vulnerable to health emergencies and need to prepare well for disease outbreaks that may occur in the future. In this regard, the World Health Assembly took note of the resolution on strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies in cities and urban environments, which calls on Member States to make political commitments and strengthen their multisectoral approaches in national policies related to preparedness and response to health emergencies through the development, consolidation and implementation of comprehensive health emergency plans that incorporate regular drills and comprehensive post-emergence assessments. action that covers several sectors. The resolution also calls on WHO to provide technical assistance to Member States.
Related document
WHA75.7 Strengthening preparedness and response to health emergencies in cities and urban environments
Related link
Strengthening preparedness for health emergencies in cities and urban environments: guidance for national and local authorities
Strategic roundtable on climate change and health brings together health leaders from around the world
Leaders and experts from around the world gathered today for a strategic roundtable on the effects of climate change on health, organized following the groundbreaking resolution on climate change and health adopted earlier in the week by the Assembly. Of the health. In addition, this event took into account the new strategic objectives of the WHO, which reflect the achievements achieved and future obstacles to global health. This roundtable is being held in anticipation of the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference and as part of the World Health Assembly, to advance and shape the global health architecture to address change. climate. Guest speakers emphasized the need to act urgently to address this problem and to act collaboratively to reduce the health effects of climate change and to promote mitigation measures in other sectors.
In his opening address, Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief of The Lancetmentioned the need to urgently tackle the climate crisis.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said WHO had adopted a new approach to act on the health effects of climate change.
Al Gore, former President of the United States of America, delivered a speech via videoconference, and Dr. Teymur Musayev, Minister of Health of the Republic of Azerbaijan, highlighted the great example of collaboration and coordination between the ministers of health and the environment and expressed his opinion on the inclusion of health at the 29th Climate Change Conference.
For his part, the Honorable Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu of the Republic of Fiji spoke on climate change and health justice in small island developing States, and Mr. Adnan Z. Amin, Director General of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, highlighted the critical importance of climate change services in improving people’s health.
Participants discussed designing viable initiatives and improving global coordination.
The Excma. Dr. Filomena Gonçalves, Minister of Health of the Republic of Cape Verde, called for climate justice and health equity. For her part, Professor Celeste Saulo, Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization, highlighted the fundamental role of services in the fight against climate change to improve public health.
Ahead of the 29th and 30th Climate Change Conferences in Azerbaijan and Brazil, respectively, participants discussed strategies to boost global health efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change. climate change. Representatives of various entities, including youth activists, NGOs and international organizations, stressed the need to sufficiently finance and coordinate efforts to address the complex interaction between climate and health issues. In line with WHO’s strategic objectives, this round table reflected on achievements and future challenges in the field of global health.
Related links
Resolution on climate change and health
Consolidated report of the Director General