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World Health Assembly (WHA)

Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board. The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget. The Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.

Seventy-Ninth World Health Assembly — Geneva, 18–23 May 2026

PAHO's Coverage of the WHA
The agreement was signed during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly by PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa and The Carter Center Vice President for Health Programs, Dr. Kashef Ijaz.
PAHO and The Carter Center strengthen partnership to eliminate river blindness and other diseases in the Americas
Geneva, Switzerland, 21 May 2026 (PAHO) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and The Carter Center signed a Technical Cooperation Agreement today to strengthen collaboration on the elimination of onchocerciasis — also known as river blindness — and other communicable diseases in the Americas.The agreement was signed during the Seventy-…
Dr. Cristina Lustemberg (Uruguay) serves as Minister of Public Health and has been widely recognized for her leadership and strong commitment to advancing the government’s longstanding efforts in tobacco control.
Public health leaders and institutions from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Uruguay recognized by WHO for advances in tobacco control
Geneva, Switzerland, May 19, 2026 (PAHO) – A government agency from Brazil, a Minister of Health from Uruguay, academics, and civil society leaders from Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are among those honored with World Health Organization's 2026 World No Tobacco Day Award.Every year, WHO presents these awards to individuals or institutions that…
r. Víctor Atallah, Minister of Health of the Dominican Republic, assumed the presidency of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79)
The minister of health of the Dominican Republic assumed the presidency of the 79th World Health Assembly
Geneva, May 18, 2026 (PAHO) – Dr. Víctor Atallah, Minister of Health of the Dominican Republic, assumed the presidency of the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79) this Monday, as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) highest decision-making body opened in Geneva.According to WHO rules of procedure, the presidency rotates among the Organization’s six…
Dr Merceline Dahl-Regis receiving her award from President of the Republic of Ghana H.E. John Dramani Mahama and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Bahamian public health leader Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis receives WHO Global Health Leaders Award at 79th World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 2026 (PAHO) — Dr. Merceline Dahl-Regis of The Bahamas was recognized today with the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General’s Global Health Leaders Award during the High-Level Welcome of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79), honoring her lifelong contribution to public health in the Americas and…
Delegations of teh Americas at the 79th WHA
World Health Assembly opens with focus on equity, resilience, and global health cooperation; Region of the Americas plays active role
Geneva, Switzerland, 18 May 2026 (PAHO) — The Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) opened today at the Palais des Nations, bringing together delegations from more than 190 countries to define global health priorities and advance discussions on some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. This year’s Assembly takes place amid…
Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly concludes:
Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly concludes: historic outcomes, consequential highlights
Geneva, 28 May 2025 – The  Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78), the annual meeting of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Member States, came to a close Tuesday, as health leaders lauded vast accomplishments and global solidarity.The Assembly, WHO’s highest decision-making body, convened from 19 May to 27 May, under the theme “One…
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, and the Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Spain, Mónica García Gómez, today signed a Letter of Intent to boost cooperation in organ, tissue, and cell donation and transplantation
PAHO and Spain's Ministry of Health strengthen cooperation in organ, tissue, and cell donation and transplantation in the Americas
Geneva, Switzerland, May 20, 2025 (PAHO) — On the sidelines of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, and the Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Spain, Mónica García Gómez, today signed a Letter of Intent to boost cooperation in organ, tissue, and cell donation and…
The conclusion of discussions on the Pandemic Agreement in Committee at the World Health Assembly 2025.
World Health Assembly adopts historic Pandemic Agreement to make the world more equitable and safer from future pandemics
Geneva, Switzerland, 20 May 2025 (PAHO/WHO) - Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision by the 78th World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to…
Committee A World Health Assembly
Member States approve WHO Pandemic Agreement in World Health Assembly Committee, paving way for its formal adoption
Historic agreement to be considered for adoption Tuesday in plenary of the AssemblyGeneva, Switzerland, 19 May 2025 (WHO) — World Health Organization Member States, meeting today in Committee A of the World Health Assembly, approved a resolution that calls for the adoption of an historic global compact to make the world safer from future…