The 72nd annual World Health Assembly ended yesterday in Geneva
The 72nd annual World Health Assembly ended yesterday in Geneva. Over the past 9 days, Member States adopted a new global strategy on health, environment and climate change and committed to investing in safe water, sanitation and hygiene services in health facilities. Countries adopted a landmark agreement to enhance the transparency of pricing for medicines, vaccines and other health products. The new WHO programme budget was approved and a common approach to antimicrobial resistance was agreed.
Patient safety was recognized as a global health priority and the 11th Edition of the International Classification of Diseases was adopted. Countries agreed three resolutions on universal health coverage with a focus on primary healthcare, the role of community health workers and the High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage in New York in September 2019.
“I cannot emphasise strongly enough what a decisive moment for public health the High-Level Meeting could be. A strong declaration, with strong political support, could transform the lives of billions of people, in realizing what we have always advocated for – health for all,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, at the closing speech for the World Health Assembly 72.
