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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
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa at the Global Health Forum
Strengthening primary health care, tackling NCDs, and advancing digital transformation key to health equity in the Americas, says PAHO Director
Geneva, Switzerland, 19 May 2025 (PAHO) — The Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, has called for urgent action to strengthen primary health care as a way to achieve health equity and address persistent gaps in the care of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health. He also urged improving access to…
Brazil was recognized for its pioneering tobacco control regulations and strong resistance to industry interference. Dr. Tedros poses for photo with a representative from the country.
Six initiatives from the Americas awarded for their contributions to tobacco control
Washington, D.C., May 19, 2025 (PAHO) – Researchers, activists, civil society organizations, and journalism organizations from Canada, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, the United States, and Uruguay, as well as government agencies from Brazil, have been recognized with World Health Organization (WHO) World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) 2025 Awards at the 78th World…
Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, met with the heads of delegation from the countries of the Americas to discuss two crucial issues on the Assembly's agenda: the pandemic agreement and the WHO's program budget for the 2026-2027 biennium, including the scale of assessed contributions
Pandemic agreement and fair financing, key focus of PAHO Director' message to delegations of the Americas at the World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland, May 19, 2025 (PAHO) - Within the framework of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), the Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, met with the heads of delegation from the countries of the Americas to discuss two crucial issues on the Assembly's agenda: the pandemic agreement and the WHO's…
Auditorium WHA
Health leaders from the Americas and around the world gather at the 78th World Health Assembly with a call for unity in health
May 16, 2025 – The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) will take place from May 19 to 27 in Geneva, Switzerland, bringing together global health authorities, including health ministers from the Americas, to discuss a key agenda for global health.Under the theme “One World for Health”, delegates meeting at the Palais des Nations are expected to…
Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) Co-Chair Precious Matsoso of South Africa (left); Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (WGIHR) Co-Chair Dr Ashley Bloomfield of New Zealand.
World Health Assembly agreement reached on wide-ranging, decisive package of amendments to improve the International Health Regulations, and sets date for finalizing negotiations on a proposed Pandemic Agreement
Geneva, 1 June 2024 — In an historic development, the World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of its 194 member countries, today agreed a package of critical amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), and made concrete commitments to completing negotiations on a global pandemic agreement within a year, at the latest.…
Delegates at World Health Assembly
Pandemic preparedness and response, equity among key topics for the Americas at Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland, 1 June 2024 (PAHO) - Building on the lessons from COVID-19, countries from the Americas strongly engaged in decisions to better prepare against present and future health challenges, including pandemics, climate change and growing antibiotic resistance, and to promote universal health coverage at the global health gathering.The…
PAHO and German Development Agency GIZ this week signed an agreement to drive the digital transformation of the health sector and improve health outcomes for millions of people in the Region of the Americas
PAHO and German Development Agency GIZ sign agreement to advance regional health priorities, with special focus on digital transformation
Geneva, Switzerland, 28 May 2024 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and German Development Agency GIZ this week signed an agreement to drive the digital transformation of the health sector and improve health outcomes for millions of people in the Region of the Americas.The agreement was signed during the 77th World Health…
Delegations of the Americas at the 77th World Health Assembly
Ministers and high-level health authorities of the Americas discuss future pandemic response
Geneva, May 28, 2024 (PAHO/WHO) – Ministers of health and high-level health authorities from the Americas have come together this week for the 77th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss pressing health issues, including amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) and the creation of a global instrument on…
he Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and global health initiative Unitaid signed a Memorandum of Understanding today - PAHO and Unitaid group photo
PAHO and Unitaid strengthen partnership to eliminate communicable diseases from the Americas
Geneva, May 27, 2024 — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and global health initiative Unitaid signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to intensify collaboration to end 30 preventable communicable diseases in the region by 2030, such as cervical cancer, HIV and Chagas disease.The agreement, signed on the margins of the 77th World…