76th World Health Assembly – Daily Update: May 24, 2023

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Work continues to strengthen preparedness and response to health emergencies

Today at the World Health Assembly, delegates in Committee A concluded discussions on Item 14 and parts of Item 15, taking note of the reports under these items, voting on two proposals and agreeing to defer another until later in the meeting. week.

The WHO Secretariat responded to comments and questions from delegates, observers and other organizations received during the previous day. The chief scientist said the work would continue to strengthen clinical trials in emergencies. The WHO Executive Director of Emergencies thanked Member States for their support of WHO’s ongoing work in emergencies and their recognition of the need to provide the organization with the resources it needs to continue. (WHO is currently responding to more than 55 officially qualified emergencies, 14 of which require support from all three levels of the organization.) The Director-General said that WHO would continue to work to align the various processes for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.

Delegates took note of the following reports: one from the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, which annually reviews WHO’s work in emergencies, a periodic report on the implementation of the International Health Regulations, the WHO annual report on its work in emergencies, and its work in strengthening emergency preparedness and response. The latter included a document on strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (known by the acronym HEPR).

Delegates voted on two proposals related to the health emergency in Ukraine. The draft decision on “Health emergency in Ukraine and the host and reception countries of refugees, derived from the aggression of the Russian Federation” was approved (80 yes, 9 no, 52 abstentions). The draft resolution on “Health emergency in and around Ukraine” was not adopted (62 no, 13 yes, 61 abstentions).

On the Global Health Initiative for Peace, delegates agreed to consider the issue later in the Assembly, following informal consultations scheduled to continue.

In Committee B, delegates considered a report on “Health Conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the Occupied Syrian Golan.” In a vote, they adopted the decision (76 yes, 13 no, 35 abstentions).

Related documents

Documents A76/7 Rev.1 Add.2, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.3, A76/8, A76/9 Rev.1, A76/10, A76/11, A76/12 and A76/15

A76/7 Rev.1 Add.2
Global Health Initiative for Peace

A76/7 Rev.1 Add.3
Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health Assembly

A76/7 Rev.1 Add.4
Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health Assembly

A76/8
Public Health Emergencies: Preparedness and Response
The Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee of the WHO Health Emergencies Program

A76/9 Rev.1
Implementation of the International Sanitary Regulations (2005)

A76/10
Strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies
Strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response, and resilience

A76/11
WHO’s work in health emergencies
Public Health Emergencies: Preparedness and Response

A76/12
Implementation of resolution WHA75.11 (2022)

A76/15
Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

Delegates discuss critical financial needs to address the climate-related health crisis

Today, delegates to the 76th World Health Assembly participated in a strategic roundtable on The role of the healthcare community in climate action: taking stock and moving forwardduring which the critical intersections of climate change and health were discussed, including its impact on millions of people around the world.

The gathering heard compassionate pleas from John Kerry, US Presidential Special Envoy on Climate Change and Dr. Vanessa Kerry, Executive Director of Seed Global Health. The father and daughter climate advocates highlighted the agenda’s overarching political importance for current and future generations, driving smarter investments and solutions to deliver catalytic impact across sectors.

As the incoming COP28 Presidency, the United Arab Emirates pledged to further elevate the importance of health by announcing the first dedicated Health Day and convening the inaugural meeting of Health and Climate Ministers at the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) in Dubai in November 2023.

Germany underscored its commitment to additional funding of €2 billion for the Green Climate Fund to support efforts in low- and middle-income countries. BBC Studios also showed their upcoming production, titled “Climate and Us”, underlining the importance of public communication and debate about the climate and health crisis.

The meeting heard that 70% of the reporting countries identified lack of financing as one of the main barriers to addressing the impacts of climate change on health. Through WHO’s ATACH (Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health) InitiativeAlready supported by 66 countries, WHO is examining whether existing financial mechanisms can be adapted to meet this challenge or whether new instruments are needed.

Concluding the strategic discussion, the WHO Director General highlighted that climate change and health actions are falling between the silos of climate financing and health financing and stressed the need for urgent and increased investment in the agenda of the climate and health.

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