Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director -General of the World Health Organization, called on Member States to remain focused on shared goals, even in the midst of global instability.
“We are here not to serve our own interests but the eight billion people in our world“He said in his main address of the Palais des Nations.” To leave a legacy of those who come after us; For our children and our grandchildren; And to work together on a healthier, more peaceful and fairer world. It’s possible. “
The assembly, which is the highest decision -making body, runs through May 27 and brings together delegations from 194 Member States under the theme One World for Health.
This year’s agenda includes a vote on the intensely negotiated pandemic agreement, a reduced budget proposal and discussions about climate, conflict, antimicrobial resistance and digital health.
Pandemic Prevention Focus
A key topic of the assembly agenda is the proposed pandemic agreement, a global compact aimed at preventing the kind of fragmented response that marked the early stages of Covid-19.
The treaty is the result of three years of negotiations between all who states.
“This is really a historic moment,” Dr. Tedros. “Even in the middle of the crisis, and in light of considerable resistance, you worked tirelessly you never gave up and you reached your goal. “
A final vote on the agreement is expected on Tuesday.
If it was adopted, it will only mark that the countries have been assembled the second time to approve a legally binding global health agreement under who are founding rules. The first was the Tobacco Control Framework Convention, which was adopted in 2003 to limit the global tobacco pidemic.
2024 Health Control
In his address, Tedro’s highlights from WHO’s result presented result result that noted both progress and sustained global health gap.
On tobacco check he quoted a Global one-third reduction in the smoking prevalence since the WHO frame Convention came into force two decades ago.
He praised countries, including the Côte d’Idoire, Oman and Vietnam for introducing stronger rules last year, including regular packaging and restrictions on e-cigarettes.
On nutrition, he pointed to new WHO guidelines for wasting and expanding the tobacco-free farm initiative in Africa, which has supported thousands of farmers in the transition to food crops.
He also emphasized who is growing work with air pollution and climate silent health systems, including partnerships with Gavi and UNICEF to install solar energy in health facilities in several countries.
On mothers and children’s health, Tedros noted progress and outlined new national acceleration plans to reduce newborn mortality. Immunization coverage now reaches 83 percent of children globally compared to less than 5 percent when the expanded immunization program was launched in 1974.
“We live in a golden age for illness“He said, referring to certification of Cabo Verde, Egypt and Georgia as malariafri; progress of neglected tropical diseases; and Botswana’s recognition as the first country to reach gold status to eliminate transmission of mother to child of HIV.
That has supported universal health coverage in Rwanda.
Who budget load
Tedros approached WHO’s internal operations and offered a sharp assessment of the organization’s finances.
“We are facing a wage difference for the next biennium of more than $ 500 million, ” he said. “A reduced workforce means a reduced work scope.”
This week, Member States will vote on a proposed 20 percent increase in assessed contributions as well as a reduced program budget of $ 4.2 billion for 2026–2027, down from a previous proposal of $ 5.3 billion. The cuts reflect an effort to adapt who has worked with current finance levels while retaining core functions.
Tedros acknowledged that who is long -term dependence on voluntary earmarked funding from a small group of donors had left it vulnerable. He called on the Member States to see the budget deficit not only as a crisis but also as a potential turning point.
“Either we have to lower our ambitions of what is and does or we have to collect the money,” he said. “I know what I want to choose.”
He drew a sharp contrast between who is budget and global consumption priorities: “$ 2.1 billion is equivalent to global military spending every eight hours; $ 2.1 billion is the price of a stealth-bomber to kill people; US $ 2.1 billion is a quarter of what the tobacco industry spends on advertising and promoting every year.
“It seems that someone changed the price marks on what is truly valuable in our world“He said.
Emergencies and appeals
The Director -General also detailed who there are emergency operations in 2024 spans 89 countries. These included answers to outbreaks of cholera, Ebola, MPOX and polio as well as humanitarian interventions in conflict zones such as Sudan, Ukraine and Gaza.
In Gaza, he said, who had supported more than 7,300 medical evacuations since the end of 2023, but over 10,000 patients remained in an urgent need for care.
Looking ahead: a transformed who?
The WHO chief closed with a look at the agency’s future direction, shaped by lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic. He highlighted new initiatives in pandemic intelligence, vaccine development and digital health, including expanded work with artificial intelligence and support for MRNA technology transfer to 15 countries.
Who has also restructured the headquarters, reduced management layers and streamlining departments.
“Our current crisis is an option“Concluded Dr. Tedros.” Together we will do it. “
