By Caribbean News Global 
GENEVA, Switzerland – The 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) came to the end of another long but fruitful World Health Assembly, says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “I’m sure many of you are tired and are looking forward to going home. But as you do, spare a thought for delegates at the first World Health Assembly in 1948, which lasted for four weeks. Be grateful.”
Dr Ghebreyesus explained:
“At the beginning of this Assembly, we took a photo in exactly the same spot that the photo was taken of the first World Health Assembly in 1948. Thank you all for being part of it. You can be satisfied that you return home having made many significant resolutions, decisions and strategies, on the vast array of issues on which WHO works.
“This includes behavioural sciences; best buys for NCDs; diagnostics; disabilities; drowning prevention; emergency, critical and operative care; food micronutrients; indigenous health; infection prevention and control; maternal and child health; medical oxygen; primary health care; refugee and migrant health; rehabilitation; traditional medicine and more.”
The WHA approval of the budget for 2024-25, including the 20 percent increase in assessed contributions, is very encouraging, and the next step in the direction of a stronger and more effective WHO, Dr Ghebreyesus advised.
“ We also appreciate your support for the idea of an investment round, and we look forward to working with Member States further to bring that idea to fruition. Both the increase in assessed contributions and the investment round are historic and a huge milestone.”
Last week’s strategic roundtables offered an opportunity to highlight some of the most pressing public health challenges: pandemic preparedness and response; climate change and health; tuberculosis; immunization; the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and health workforce, which is central to addressing every threat we face.
This week also saw the launch of the final report of the Council on the Economics of Health for All, with several strong recommendations for how we value human and planetary well-being, rather than a crude focus on GDP. I commend the report to you.
“The year ahead,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “offers several significant opportunities to make substantial progress on all the issues you have discussed over the past nine days. In particular, the high-level meetings on universal health coverage, tuberculosis and pandemic preparedness and response at this year’s UN General Assembly are major opportunities to catalyze much-needed political commitment. Likewise, the continuing negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations are an unprecedented opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure they are not repeated.”
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr Ghebreyesus expressed:
“Your challenge as Member States is to negotiate a strong accord for approval just 12 months from now. This is a generational opportunity that we must seize. We are the generation that lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, so we must be the generation that learns the lessons it taught us, and makes the changes to keep future generations safer,” added. “In particular, we must work hard to counter the mis- and disinformation about the accord that is circulating in many Member States.
“We cannot mince words: the idea that this accord will cede authority to WHO is simply fake news. This is an accord by Member States, for Member States, and will be implemented in Member States in accordance with their own laws,” concluded Dr Ghebreyesus.
