World Health Assembly (WHA)
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-eighth World Health Assembly — Geneva, 19–27 May 2025
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 77th World Health Assembly, 27 May - 1 June 2024
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 76th World Health Assembly, 21-30 May 2023
- WHO: 75th World Health Assembly, 22-28 May 2022
- WHO: Special session of World Health Assembly, 29 November-1 December 2021
- WHO: 74th World Health Assembly, 24-31 May 2021
- WHO: 73rd World Health Assembly, 18-19 May 2020
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 72nd World Health Assembly, 20-28 May 2019
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 71st World Health Assembly, 21–26 May 2018
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 70th World Health Assembly, 22–31 May 2017
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 69th World Health Assembly, 23–28 May 2016
- PAHO/WHO's coverage of the 68th World Health Assembly, 18–26 May 2015
PAHO's Coverage of the WHA
Geneva, 24 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO).- Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, the United States, and countries of other world regions, together with the British chef Jamie Oliver, shared their successful experiences in combating childhood obesity and malnutrition.
Nearly 800 million people worldwide are chronically undernourished and more than two billion have…
Geneva, 23 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - With words of celebration, warning and hope, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Margaret Chan, opened the 69th World Health Assembly yesterday.Dr. Chan celebrated recent progress in global public health, particularly in the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio, as…
Geneva, 23 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO)— In his address to the 69th World Health Assembly, the Minister of Health of Brazil, Ricardo Barros, announced that potential developmental consequences in children whose mothers have been infected by the Zika virus will be investigated.
"We offer comprehensive care to children born with microcephaly and will follow…
Geneva, 23 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) — "The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides an opportunity to speed progress made in the fight against epidemics, as well as in tackling neglected and tropical diseases, and provides a framework for responding to new threats such as Zika", noted the Minister of Health of Argentina, Jorge Lemus, in his…
Geneva, 23 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - The Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, met today with the delegations of the countries of the Americas, focusing on issues of key interest for the Region to be addressed in the plenary session of the 69th World Health Assembly this week.…
Geneva, 23 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - Panama has been designated as Vice-President of the 69th World Health Assembly, representing the Region of the Americas at the Assembly, which is taking place from 23 to 28 May in Geneva, Switzerland.
The Minister of Health of Panama, Francisco Javier Terrientes, will be one of the five vice-presidents appointed…
Cover photo: PAHO Director Carissa F.. Etienne provides UNASUR Health Ministers with an analysis of emergency response in the Americas.
Geneva, 22 May 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - The countries of the Americas and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) have broad experience in responding to emergencies and emerging outbreaks, and have used the…
Washington, DC / Geneva, Switzerland, May 20, 2016 (PAHO / WHO) - Ministers and health officials from 194 countries will participate in the 69th World Health Assembly next week to discuss actions on issues such as emergency response of the World health Organization (WHO), promoting health through the life course, strategies to deal with…
Geneva, 26 May 2015 (PAHO/WHO) -- The 68th World Health Assembly closed today after approving three new resolutions: one on air pollution, one on epilepsy and one laying out the next steps in finalizing a framework of engagement with non-State actors.
In closing the eight-day meeting, Director-General Margaret Chan said the Assembly had passed…