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Israel’s intensified military operations continue to threaten an already weakened health system, amidst worsening mass population displacement and acute shortages of food, water, medical supplies, fuel and shelter. 

Four major hospitals in Gaza (Kamal Adwan Hospital, Indonesia Hospital, Hamad Hospital for Rehabilitation and Prosthetics, and European Gaza Hospital) have had to suspend medical services in the past week due to their proximity to hostilities or evacuation zones, and attacks. WHO has recorded 28 attacks on health care in Gaza during this period and 697 attacks since October 2023.

Only 19 of Gaza Strip’s 36 hospitals remain operational, including one hospital providing basic care for the remaining patients still inside the hospital, and are struggling under severe supply shortages, lack of health workers, persistent insecurity, and a surge of casualties, all while staff work in impossible conditions. Of the 19 hospitals, 12 provide a variety of health services, while the rest are only able to provide basic emergency care. At least 94% of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed.

The increased hostilities and new evacuation orders issued across northern and southern Gaza in the past two days threaten to push even more health facilities out of service. This includes 1 hospital, 11 primary care centres, and 13 medical points within the evacuation zones, and an additional 5 hospitals, 1 field hospital, 9 primary care centres, and 23 medical points within 1000 metres of those zones. 

North Gaza has been stripped of nearly all health care. Al-Awda Hospital is only minimally functional, serving as a trauma stabilization point. It faces an imminent risk of closure due to ongoing insecurity and restricted access. The hospital’s third floor was reportedly attacked on Wednesday, injuring a staff member. Hostilities in the area also damaged the water tank and pipeline. Today, the hospital was attacked again. The third and fourth floors were reportedly hit, injuring two health workers. Patient triage tents, including one provided by WHO, caught fire, which also burned all medical supplies in the warehouse and destroyed vehicles in the basement. A WHO mission attempting to reach the hospital today was impeded.

The Indonesian Hospital is out of service due to continued military presence since 18 May, making it inaccessible. Yesterday, a WHO mission to the hospital was forced to abort due to the security situation after waiting nearly four hours for clearance to proceed. WHO team had planned to deliver food and water to patients, assess their conditions, and identify critical equipment for transfer. WHO tried to reach the hospital again today, but the mission was impeded.

Kamal Adwan Hospital, which had the only centre to treat patients with severe acute malnutrition in North Gaza, went out of service on 20 May after intense hostilities in its vicinity, forcing patients to evacuate or be discharged prematurely. 

In southern Gaza, Nasser Medical Complex, Al-Amal, and Al-Aqsa hospitals are overwhelmed by a surge of injured people, worsened by a new wave of displacement to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. The European Gaza Hospital remains out of service following an attack on 13 May, cutting off vital services including neurosurgery, cardiac care, and cancer treatment – all unavailable elsewhere in Gaza.

Currently, across the Gaza Strip, only 2000 hospital beds remain available, for a population of over 2 million people, grossly insufficient to meet the current needs. Of these, at least 40 beds are at risk of being lost as they are in hospitals within newly declared evacuation zones, while an additional 850 could be lost if conditions deteriorate at facilities near these zones.

Continued hostilities and military presence inhibit patients from accessing care, obstruct staff from providing care, and prevent WHO and partners from resupplying hospitals.

With each hospital forced out of service, patients lose access to health care, and WHO and partners’ efforts, to sustain Gaza’s health system are undone. The destruction is systematic. Hospitals are rehabilitated and resupplied, only to be exposed to hostilities or attacked again. This destructive cycle must end.

Amid constant fear and insecurity, health workers, including those from national and international emergency medical teams, continue delivering urgent care in Gaza. WHO salutes their courage and commitment.

WHO calls for the active protection of health care. Hospitals must never be militarized or targeted.

WHO calls for aid at scale to be allowed into Gaza through all possible routes, and for unimpeded humanitarian access to reach people wherever they are. Echoing the United Nations’ Relief Chief, WHO reiterates that the UN and its partners have a clear, principled and effective plan to deliver aid with safeguards against diversion, a system that has worked and must be enabled to continue.  

WHO calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

Thursday’s Committee B noted the Results Report 2024, and the financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025. Member States commended the transparency, and the level of detail provided. At the same time, Member States noted with concern that while some important achievements have been realized, progress is insufficient in reaching the SDG targets. In addition, Member States also advocated for more equitable funding across the Organization. The committee approved decision 78/17 Add.1 and 78/17 Add.2. 

Delegates welcomed WHO’s Investment Round (IR), which will fund the Organization’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work – 2025–2028 (GPW 14) – its global health strategy for the next four years that has the potential to save 40 million lives if fully funded.  By April 2025, pledges of US$ 1.7 billion had been received. During the Health Assembly at least an additional US $210 million was committed, with further amounts expected. Since the start of the Investment Round, 62 pledges have been made by Member States, with a further 20 pledges by philanthropic organizations. Of the 62 pledgers, 35 had not previously provided voluntary contributions to WHO. 

The pledges not only assure more sustainable financing but show global solidarity in the face of unprecedented challenges. The committee called for increased efforts to secure predictable, resilient and flexible funding.

Related Documents:

•  A78/17 Results report 2024 and financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
• A78/17 Add.1 Draft decision: Results report 2024 (Programme budget 2024–2025: performance assessment) and Financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
• A78/17 Add.2 Draft decision: Partial and temporary suspension of Financial Regulation VIII, 8.2
• A78/18 Audited Financial Statements for the year ended
• A78/36 Results report 2024 (Programme budget 2024–2025: performance assessment) and Financial report and audited financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024
• A78/INF./3 Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor, 2024
•  A78/19 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025
• A78/20 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025: Reporting on operational efficiencies
• A78/INF./4 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2024–2025 WHO presence in countries, territories and areas
• A78/21 Sustainable financing: WHO investment round
• A78/37 Proposed programme budget 2026–2027 – Sustainable financing: WHO investment round (Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly)
  

On 21–22 May 2025, the World Health Assembly discussed WHO’s work in health emergencies. Over the last year, WHO responded to 51 graded emergencies across 89 countries and territories, including global outbreaks of cholera and mpox – a public health emergency of international concern – as well as multiple humanitarian crises. Working with over 900 partners across 28 health clusters, WHO helped provide health assistance for 72 million people in humanitarian settings. Nearly 60% of new emergencies were climate-related, highlighting the growing health impacts of climate change.

Member States noted the WHO Director-General’s report on the implementation of the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework. The report outlined progress made in the key areas of collaborative disease surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to medical countermeasures and emergency coordination, and stressed that insufficient and unpredictable funding poses a significant risk to health systems worldwide.

Delegates noted the report of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee (IOAC) for WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. The report presents several recommendations to the Director-General aimed at strengthening WHO’s work in emergencies. The chair of the IOAC commended WHO’s leadership – particularly that of Dr Mike Ryan, the outgoing Executive Director of the Health Emergencies Programme, for his pivotal role and contributions to global health.

The Director-General also reported on Universal Health and Preparedness Review (UHPR) to the Assembly, a unique process for Member States to assess their health emergency preparedness. UHPR was launched in November 2020 as a voluntary, country-led mechanism, in response to early lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Related documents:  

• A78/13 WHO’s work in health emergencies
• A78/12 Health emergencies preparedness and response: The Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme

• A78/9 Strengthening the global architecture for health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience
• A78/4 Consolidated report by the Director-General (including UHPR)
  

Member States noted the Director-General’s report on progress made in implementing the International Health Regulations (2005), which outline the rights and obligations of countries in managing public health events and emergencies that have the potential to cross borders.

In 2024, WHO assessed over 1.2 million raw signals related to public health risks, identifying and verifying 429 events with potential or actual international public health implications.

All countries but one provided their self-assessment report to the Assembly. Numerous joint external evaluations, after- and intra-action reviews, and training were conducted to strengthen preparedness and response capacities. 

Member States recommended to the Assembly the adoption of a decision for the Director-General to notify Palestine of the International Health Regulations (2005). This is a step prior to Palestine expressing interest in becoming a States Party to the Regulations. This follows the resolution approved during the World Health Assembly last year on aligning the participation of Palestine in WHO with its participation in the United Nations.

The Assembly also noted the Standing Recommendations issued by the Director-General on COVID-19 (valid until April 2026) and mpox (valid until August 2025).

At last year’s World Health Assembly, Member States adopted historic amendments to the Regulations, drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments are expected to come into force in September 2025.

Related documents:

• A78/11 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)
• A78/A/CONF./4 Notifying the International Health Regulations (2005) to Palestine
• Resolution WHA77.15 (2024): Aligning the participation of Palestine in the World Health Organization with its participation in the United Nations
• A78/INF./6 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Extension of the standing recommendations for mpox
• A78/INF./7 Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) Extension of the standing recommendations for COVID-19
  

Member States approved a decision related to public health and social measures, urging the strengthening of the research base on these interventions. Public health and social measures are nonpharmaceutical interventions used to reduce the spread of an infectious disease and lower hospitalizations and death. Examples include screening for diseases, personal hygiene measures and changing the way people gather or travel. These measures played an important role in buying time for countries to develop and distribute treatments, diagnostics and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the evidence base on the effectiveness of these measures remains limited.

Related documents:

• EB156/2025/REC/1, decision EB156(31) Strengthening the evidence-base for public health and social measures

Delegates noted the Director-General’s report on the implementation of a resolution on WHO’s response to the health emergency triggered by the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. In 2024, WHO reached an estimated 4.7 million people with health support in Ukraine and more than 400 000 refugees in neighbouring countries. WHO delivered over US$ 32.5 million worth of medicines, medical equipment and supplies to health facilities across Ukraine, and over US$ 4.9 million worth of supplies and equipment to refugee-hosting countries. Since 24 February 2022, a total of 2254 attacks on health care have been verified, resulting in 710 injuries and 208 deaths.

Member States voted on related decisions. The draft decision proposed by Ukraine and other countries to continue, among other things, to restore and strengthen Ukraine’s health-care system was approved. Suggested amendments to the draft decision proposed by the Russian Federation and other countries were rejected.

Related documents:

• A78/14 Implementation of resolution WHA75.11 (2022) 
• A78/A/CONF./3 Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee-receiving and -hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federation’s aggression
• A78/A/CONF./3 Add.1 Amendments proposed by Belarus, China, Nicaragua and the Russian Federation
• A78/A/CONF./3 Add.2 Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health Assembly
  

Delegates noted the Director-General's report on the current health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, with the Gaza Strip facing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, with widespread displacement, destruction and death. The health system has been severely degraded by attacks, critical shortages of medicines, supplies and fuel, and restricted access. The report stated that between 1 January 2024 and 28 February 2025, 376 attacks on health care were reported in the Gaza Strip, resulting in 286 deaths and 591 injuries.

The health crisis in the West Bank has worsened since January 2025, with escalating violence and stricter restrictions on movement impeding access to health care.

WHO’s response has focused on providing essential health services, public health surveillance, disease prevention and control, provision of supplies and logistics, and partner coordination. The report stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, unrestricted humanitarian access and protection of health.

Member States noted the report and commended WHO's efforts towards the continuity of health services under difficult conditions. Delegates approved an accompanying resolution.

Related documents:

• A78/15 Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem
• EB156/2025/REC/1, resolution EB156.R3 Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem

A “health financing emergency” must drive country-led, data-driven solutions

Ministers from multiple countries hit by the abrupt cuts in external funding for health agreed on the urgent need for country-owned and implemented strategies – and a laser-sharp focus on health data – at a ministerial dialogue co-hosted by WHO and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly.

Opening remarks by Professor Senait Fisseha, Vice President of Global Programs at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, set the tone by noting that the crisis presents an opportunity for a turnaround in how health financing policies and health data systems are built and operated.

Specifically, this is a time for countries to reduce their reliance on external health information systems and external financing; build out their domestic data infrastructure, from vital statistics to downstream impact and return-on-investment; and establish resilient systems designed to withstand shocks, so that access to essential services is protected.

Professor Fisseha called on countries “to use this moment to rethink data and financing in a way that best meets your needs and the needs of your people [...] For countries to truly lead and for funders and development partners to start to learn how to follow. Data and financing are a natural place to start because that is where ministers are telling us to start.”

Dr Tedros said, “From expanding domestic financing to pioneering real-time data systems, many of you are advancing solutions that are scalable, sustainable and rooted in equity. Data and sustainable financing are not just technical matters. They are political choices. They shape who is reached, how quickly, and with what quality of care. And they determine whether we progress or fall behind."

Ministers from Barbados, Central African Republic, Egypt, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda and Sierra Leone, and representatives from the African Union and the World Bank, among others, shared experiences and advice on concrete actions to strengthen data systems, health financing and planning – urging intensified collaboration in the future. They also spoke of the need to leverage the digital transformation and thereby increase transparency and accountability.

Also discussed: strategies to improve domestic financing capacity while maximizing impact include: strengthening tax administration; exploring revenue sources such as taxes on such items as food, alcohol and tobacco; setting up population-wide mandatory health coverage schemes, coupled with subsidies for low-income households and vulnerable population groups; promoting strategic purchasing of health supplies; prioritizing health in public spending; and integrating externally-funded programmes into domestic financing systems and priorities. 

Later this week the Assembly will take up the proposed WHA Health Financing Resolution. 

Related links

WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the Strategic Roundtable: Data and Sustainable Financing: Twin Foundations to Accelerate UHC – 21 May 2025

On 21 May 2025, the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly noted a report from the Director-General, outlining WHO’s humanitarian and emergency health response in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, from January 2024 to February 2025.

A report on the health conditions in the occupied Syrian Golan couldn’t be provided this year again due to the ongoing situation and the lack of disaggregated health data on the Syrian population. Member States were invited to provide guidance on how to support WHO and partners to restore essential health services across Syria and enable a WHO field-assessment mission to the occupied Syrian Golan.   

Member States expressed grave concerns over the deterioration of the health system in Gaza, including forced displacement, overcrowding and deteriorating sanitation, and attacks on health, stressing the need for concerted action to address the dire health needs.

A number of Member States presented draft decisions asking the Director-General to continue reporting on the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan, and more specifically on food insecurity and malnutrition in the Gaza Strip, and to continue supporting the Palestinian and Syrian health systems. The decision was adopted.

Related documents

A78/16: Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

A78/B/CONF./1: Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan

A78/B/CONF./1 Add.1: Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health Assembly

World leaders pledged at least an additional US$ 210 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) at a high-level pledging event Tuesday at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly in Geneva. Amid rising global health challenges, leaders reaffirmed their support for multilateral cooperation through these contributions to WHO’s Investment Round (IR). Earlier in the day, Member States approved an increase in Assessed Contributions, adding a separate US$ 90 million a year of income, and marking another important step on WHO’s journey towards sustainable financing.

The IR is raising funds for WHO’s strategy for global health, the  Fourteenth General Programme of Work, which can save an additional 40 million lives over the next four years. The pledges made today represent significant contributions from both governments and philanthropic partners.

“I am grateful to every Member State and partner that has pledged towards the investment round. In a challenging climate for global health, these funds will help us to preserve and extend our life-saving work,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “They show that multilateralism is alive and well.”

Both long-standing allies and new contributors stepped up at today’s pledging event, broadening WHO’s donor base with fresh voluntary funding. Moderated by Mr Moazzam Malik, CEO of Save the Children UK, the event and the World Health Assembly featured pledges from Angola, Cambodia, China, Gabon, Mongolia, Qatar, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania, The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation (with the WHO Foundation), Fondation Botnar, Laerdal Global Health (with the WHO Foundation), the Nippon Foundation and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation announced an additional US$ 13 million and committed to further increases in funding.

Among the announcements at least US$ 210 million is for the Investment Round, meaning that the funding supports WHO’s base budget from 2025–2028. Eight of the donors included a flexible contribution to WHO, the most valuable sort of funding, and four were first time donors.

WHO’s fundraising reach has also been extended through individual giving. Through the One World Movement, almost 8000 people from across the world have signed on as ‘Member Citizens’, contributing almost US$ 600 000 in donations, many monthly – a powerful expression of global solidarity and an affirmation that every voice counts.

The event’s speakers emphasized not only the need for continued investment, but the strategic value of flexible and diversified financing to keep WHO responsive, country-focused, and aligned with national health priorities – as it evolves into a leaner, more agile institution. The event was a pivotal moment in WHO’s journey to more sustainable funding.

As the IR continues, today’s event is a testament to the role of partnership in times of uncertainty. Contributions from each donor made at today’s pledging event can be found below. Each contribution to WHO brings us one step closer to better health for all united in the mission of “One World for Health”.

Editor's note

On 21 May 2025, a correction was made in this news release to reflect the increased pledge from Switzerland from 33 million Swiss francs (US$ 40 million) to 66 million Swiss francs (US$ 80 million), to provide the full name of The ELMA Vaccines and Immunization Foundation, and to note “(with the WHO Foundation)” with Laerdal Global Health.

On 27 May 2025, a correction was made to this news release, both in the headline and the main text, to reflect the increase of the total amount pledged during the event from US$ 170 million to US$ 210 million.

• Agreement’s adoption follows three years of intensive negotiation launched due to gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 response.
• Agreement boosts global collaboration to ensure stronger, more equitable response to future pandemics.
• Next steps include negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system.

Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) today formally adopted by consensus the world's first Pandemic Agreement. The landmark decision by the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly culminates more than three years of intensive negotiations launched by governments in response to the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics.

Related documents

A78/10 Add.1, Outcome of informal consultations of Member States, Draft resolution on the WHO Pandemic Agreement

Delegates at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78) approved the base programme budget of US$ 4.2 billion for 2026–2027, the first to be fully developed based on the Fourteenth General Programme of Work, 2025–2028 (GPW 14), the global health strategy for the next four years. GPW 14 prioritizes advancing health equity and strengthening health systems resilience. 

The budget presented to WHA78 committee A was decreased from the initial US$ 5.3 billion presented to the executive board in February given the challenging financial context. While decreasing some regional budgets and headquarters budgets, Member States agreed to try to preserve country level budgets to the extent possible. The budget will allocate resources to enhance technical cooperation, foster partnerships and support the achievement of national and global health targets. The proposed programme budget 2026–2027 also reaffirms the indispensable role of multilateralism in addressing today’s complex and interconnected health challenges. 

Member States also approved the gradual second 20% increase of the assessed contributions (AC), or membership fees which had been previously adopted by the Member State Working Group on sustainable financing. This ensures that WHO funding is not only predictable, but also resilient and flexible, which is critical given the rapidly changing financial landscape. 

Member States also had the opportunity to review the implementation of governance reform. In a time of geopolitical tension and rising inequalities, WHO remains a vital platform for cooperation, solidarity and coordination in global health

World leaders pledged significant contributions to the WHO Investment Round at a high-level pledging event Tuesday evening, another key step in WHO’s journey to sustainable financing. 

Related documents

A78/6, Proposed programme budget 2026–2027 (Corrigendum 1) (Add.1)

A78/37, Report of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the
Executive Board to the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly

A78/INF./8, General Programme of Work, 2025–2028: baselines and
targets for outcome and output indicators

A78/4, Consolidated report by the Director-General

A78/5, Governance reform (Add.1)

A78/39, Governance reform, Process of handling and investigating potential allegations against WHO Directors-General

During the high-level segment, delegates heard from H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola and Chairperson of the African Union; H.E. Andrej Plenković, Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia; and H.E. Liu Guozhong, Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China. Video statements were made by a number of world leaders across the globe.

Egyptian opera singer Farrah El-Dibany and Soprano singers Elaine Vidal and Eunice Miller of the Philippines performed at the Health Assembly on Tuesday morning.

The Director-General also presented Global Health Leader’s awards to Professor Sir Brian Greenwood and Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck for their pivotal work in malaria control and beyond. 

The Assembly started on Monday 19 May 2025 under the theme “One World for Health”.

The election of officials took place on Monday morning. Dr Teodoro Herbosa of the Philippines became the President of the Health Assembly. The elected Vice-Presidents are Dr Jalila bint Al Sayyed Jawad Hassan of Bahrain, Dr Sayedur Rahman of Bangladesh, Mr Jaime Hernán Urrego Rodríguez of Colombia, Dr Judit Bidlo of Hungary and Dr Louise Mapleh Kpoto Liberia.

H.E. Elisabeth Baume-Schneider, Federal Councilor of the Swiss Confederation, addressed the Health Assembly on behalf of the host country.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus, WHO Director-General, delivered his report to the Assembly.

In a show of support for a sustainably financed World Health Organization, WHO Member States today approved a 20% increase in assessed contributions (membership dues) as they endorsed the Organization’s 2026–27 budget of US$ 4.2 billion.

This is the second such 20% increase in assessed contributions to WHO, the previous being agreed as part of the 2024–25 budget. It comes as governments are facing financial constraints and economic headwinds and demonstrates Member States’ fundamental support for global health solidarity and the critical role of WHO.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, and other senior leaders thanked Member States for their support and partnership, noting their profound vote of confidence in WHO’s mission and their commitment to health security and resilience worldwide.

Insufficient levels of predictable funding of WHO has hindered its ability to carry out long term projects and support its global operations to promote health for all. This, in addition to over reliance on funding from a small set of traditional donors, was identified as a major organizational challenge in WHO’s Transformation initiative that launched in 2017.

In 2022, WHO Member States agreed an historic increase in their assessed contributions by gradually increasing their membership dues to represent 50% of WHO’s core budget by the 2030–2031 cycle, at the latest. In the 2020–2021 biennium, assessed contributions represented only 16% of the approved programme budget.

While this work began years ago, due to recent changes in the global financial landscape, sustainable financing is more important than ever before. WHO’s originally approved 2026–27 programme budget was downsized 22% (from US$ 5.3 billion to US$ 4.2 billion) due to financial constraints.

Today’s approval of WHO’s base programme budget of US$ 4.2 billion for 2026–2027 is the first to be fully developed based on the Organization’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work, 2025–2028 (GPW 14), its global health strategy for the next four years.

Note to editor

At its meeting in January 2021, WHO’s Executive Board established the Sustainable Financing Working Group to begin work on a path towards resolving the widening gap between the world’s expectations of WHO and the financial resources available to us to meet them.

In addition to increasing Member State assessed contributions to WHO, several other resource mobilization initiatives are being undertaken to support WHO’s activities. These include the establishment of the WHO Foundation, diversification of WHO’s donor base, and staging of its first Investment Round, including today’s high-level pledging event.

Ensuring WHO has sustainable levels of financing is critical for it to continue responding to health emergencies, increasing health-care access, and ensuring people are living healthy lives.

The Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly marks a key moment in the transformation of WHO to become a more efficient and effective organization, made possible by contributions from partners across the globe.

In recognition of their lifetime achievements in global health, specifically in malaria elimination and beyond, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has given his Award for Global Health this year to Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck and Professor Sir Brian Greenwood.  

The Director-General’s Award for Global Health, established in 2019, was conferred during the High-Level segment on Tuesday, 20 May, at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly and this year included an honorary lifetime achievement award to each recipient.  

“Their invaluable contributions have helped to alleviate the burden of malaria and other vaccine-preventable diseases and to build sustainable health system capacity in Africa,” said Dr Tedros.

Noting Professor Coll Seck’s achievements, Dr Tedros said, “While serving as Senegal’s Minister of Health, Professor Awa Marie Coll Seck led landmark reforms, expanded universal access to care and integrated disease control programmes.” 

In addition to making significant contributions to scientific literature, Professor Coll Seck was, from 2004–2011, the Executive Director of the Roll Back Malaria (RMB) partnership, where she mobilized political will to accelerate malaria interventions in low-income countries.  

She has also been active on several high-profile boards and advisory groups, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, PATH, and other international NGOs and initiatives working on health financing, vaccines, and health system strengthening. She is currently the President of Forum Galien Afrique.

Professor Coll Seck was born in Senegal and trained as a physician with a specialization in infectious diseases. She earned her medical degree from the University of Dakar and pursued further specialization in bacteriology and virology in France.

“I’ve had the privilege of contributing to notable progress but I’ve also borne witness to ongoing challenges and emerging emergencies whether they be in terms of climate, demography or technology. This prize is all the more important in that it symbolizes trust in the values that I defend: solidarity between peoples, science in the service of humanity and the leadership of women in the health system,” said Professor Coll Seck.

Professor Greenwood is best known for his pivotal work in malaria control. He has also played a central role in shaping global health policy and research strategies, serving on numerous advisory boards, including those of WHO.

“Over the last five decades, Professor Sir Greenwood performed pioneering research and made major contributions to infectious disease control. His work on malaria has been instrumental in shaping modern approaches to control this devastating disease. His contributions range from the introduction of insecticide-treated bed nets to groundbreaking trials for the RTS,S malaria vaccine, the first vaccine to be recommended for widespread use,” said Dr Tedros.

Professor Greenwood’s early career focused on infectious disease research in Nigeria and The Gambia, where he lived for decades and led a multidisciplinary programme targeting diseases like malaria, pneumonia, measles, and HIV2. In The Gambia, he demonstrated the effectiveness of insecticide-treated nets in reducing child mortality and morbidity and contributed to malaria control through seasonal antimalarial drug administration.

In 1996, Professor Greenwood returned to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, continuing his research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He contributed to the successful use of the MenAfriVac vaccine in the African meningitis belt, which helped stop epidemics in Chad. He also advocated for combining seasonal vaccination with seasonal malaria chemoprevention. 

Reflecting on his career, which began in Nigeria as a young doctor about 60 years ago, Professor Greenwood said, “The pediatric wards were full of measles, meningitis, malaria, polio, there were still even occasions with smallpox coming to hospital. The under-5 child mortality was about 400 per thousand in parts of west Africa. So, how that’s changed in one person’s lifetime. Many of those diseases are not gone but are much reduced and there has been a dramatic improvement in under-5 child mortality. In The Gambia where I also worked, that’s now 40, a 10-fold drop.”

• Agreement’s adoption follows three years of intensive negotiation launched due to gaps and inequities identified in national and global COVID-19 response.
• Agreement boosts global collaboration to ensure stronger, more equitable response to future pandemics.
• Next steps include negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing system.

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 the devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and driven by the goal of making the world safer from – and more equitable in response to – future pandemics.

“The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our Member States to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The Agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats. It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19.”  

Governments adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement today in a plenary session of the World Health Assembly, WHO’s peak decision-making body. The adoption followed yesterday’s approval of the Agreement by vote (124 in favour, 0 objections, 11 abstentions) in Committee by Member State delegations.

“Starting during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments from all corners of the world acted with great purpose, dedication and urgency, and in doing so exercising their national sovereignty, to negotiate the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement that has been adopted today,” said Dr Teodoro Herbosa, Secretary of the Philippines Department of Health, and President of this year’s World Health Assembly, who presided over the Agreement’s adoption. “Now that the Agreement has been brought to life, we must all act with the same urgency to implement its critical elements, including systems to ensure equitable access to life-saving pandemic-related health products. As COVID was a once-in-a-lifetime emergency, the WHO Pandemic Agreement offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build on lessons learned from that crisis and ensure people worldwide are better protected if a future pandemic emerges.”

The WHO Pandemic Agreement sets out the principles, approaches and tools for better international coordination across a range of areas, in order to strengthen the global health architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This includes through the equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.

Regarding national sovereignty, the Agreement states that: “Nothing in the WHO Pandemic Agreement shall be interpreted as providing the Secretariat of the World Health Organization, including the Director-General of the World Health Organization, any authority to direct, order, alter or otherwise prescribe the national and/or domestic law, as appropriate, or policies of any Party, or to mandate or otherwise impose any requirements that Parties take specific actions, such as ban or accept travellers, impose vaccination mandates or therapeutic or diagnostic measures or implement lockdowns.”

Notes for editors

The resolution on the WHO Pandemic Agreement adopted by the World Health Assembly sets out steps to prepare for the accord’s implementation. It includes launching a process to draft and negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG). The result of this process will be considered at next year’s World Health Assembly.

Once the Assembly adopts the PABS annex, the WHO Pandemic Agreement will then be open for signature and consideration of ratification, including by national legislative bodies. After 60 ratifications, the Agreement will enter into force.

In addition, Member States also directed the IGWG to initiate steps to enable setting up of the Coordinating Financial Mechanism for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) to “enhance, facilitate, and work to remove barriers and ensure equitable, timely, rapid, safe, and affordable access to pandemic-related health products for countries in need during public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies, and for prevention of such emergencies.”

According to the Agreement, pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the PABS system will play a key role in equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products by making available to WHO “rapid access targeting 20% of their real time production of safe, quality and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for the pathogen causing the pandemic emergency.”  The distribution of these products to countries will be carried out on the basis of public health risk and need, with particular attention to the needs of developing countries.

The WHO Pandemic Agreement is the second international legal agreement negotiated under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, the first being the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which was adopted in 2003 and entered into force in 2005.

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 pandemics. The WHO Pandemic Agreement will next be considered for final adoption by the Assembly on Tuesday during the plenary session.

Monday’s approval of the Pandemic Agreement resolution follows a more than three-year process, launched by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic, to negotiate the world’s first such accord to address the gaps and inequities in preventing, preparing for and responding to pandemics. This watershed agreement was adopted under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution. It aims to foster stronger collaboration and cooperation among countries, international organizations like WHO, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders to prevent pandemics occurring in the first place, and to better respond in the event of a future pandemic crisis.

“Governments from all over the world are making their countries, and our interconnected global community, more equitable, healthier and safer from the threats posed by pathogens and viruses of pandemic potential,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “I congratulate WHO‘s Member States for resolving to come together in the aftermath of COVID-19 to better protect the world from future pandemics. Their work to develop this global accord will ensure countries work better, faster and more equitably together to prevent and respond to the next pandemic threat.”

The Pandemic Agreement and the resolution calling for its adoption will be taken up by the full plenary of the World Health Assembly on Tuesday, 20 May. Immediately after, there will be a High-Level segment featuring statements from Heads of States of multiple countries.

“The WHO Pandemic Agreement is a demonstration of the shared desire by all people to be better prepared to prevent and respond to the next pandemic, with a commitment to the principles of respect for human dignity, equity, solidarity and sovereignty, and basing public health decisions to control pandemics on the best available science and evidence,” said the Honorable Dr Esperance Luvindao, Minister of Health and Social Services of Namibia, and Chair of the Committee A meeting that adopted today’s resolution. “The costs that COVID inflicted on lives, livelihoods and economies were great and many, and we – as sovereign states – have resolved to join hands, as one world together, so we can protect our children, elders, frontline health workers and all others from the next pandemic. It is our duty and responsibility to humanity.”

The resolution sets out several steps for taking the world forward and preparing for the Pandemic Agreement’s implementation. It includes the launch of a process to draft and negotiate an annex to the Agreement that would establish a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS) through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG). The result of this process will be considered at next year’s World Health Assembly. Once the Assembly adopts the PABS annex, the Pandemic Agreement will then be open for signature and consideration of ratification, including by national legislative bodies. After 60 ratifications, the Agreement will enter into force.

In addition, Member States also directed the IGWG to initiate steps to enable setting up of the Coordinating Financial Mechanism for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, and the Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network (GSCL) to “enhance, facilitate, and work to remove barriers and ensure equitable, timely, rapid, safe, and affordable access to pandemic-related health products for countries in need during public health emergencies of international concern, including pandemic emergencies, and for prevention of such emergencies.”

According to the Agreement, pharmaceutical manufacturers participating in the PABS system will play a key role in equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products by making available to WHO “rapid access targeting 20% of their real time production of safe, quality and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics for the pathogen causing the pandemic emergency.”  The distribution of these products to countries will be carried out on the basis of public health risk and need, with particular attention to the needs of developing countries and those supported through the GSCL.

The Pandemic Agreement aligns with the International Health Regulations, amendments to which were adopted by governments at last year’s World Health Assembly to bolster international rules to better detect, prevent and respond to outbreaks.

Dr Tedros thanked the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) that coordinated and facilitated the process to draft and negotiate the Pandemic Agreement. The WHO Director-General also praised the tireless work and excellence of the WHO Secretariat team that supported the Bureau and Member States, led by Dr Michael Ryan and Dr Jaouad Mahjour.

“An immensely talented, experienced and driven WHO team was assembled to support the vision of governments to develop this historic Pandemic Agreement,” Dr Tedros said. “This group of individuals, representing so many countries and regions of the world, deserve enormous credit and thanks from the international community for what they have done to help make the world safer for future generations.”

The INB was established in December 2021, at a special session of the World Health Assembly. WHO Member States were tasked to develop a convention, agreement or other international instrument under the WHO Constitution to strengthen pandemic preparedness, prevention and response. Members of the INB Bureau that guided the process were Co-Chairs Ms Precious Matsoso (South Africa) and Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou (France), and Vice-Chairs Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes (Brazil), Ambassador Amr Ramadan (Egypt), Dr Viroj Tangcharoensathien (Thailand); and Ms Fleur Davies (Australia). Past members included former Co-Chair, Mr Roland Driece (the Netherlands), and former Vice-Chairs Ambassador Honsei Kozo (Japan), Mr Kazuho Taguchi (Japan), and Mr Ahmed Soliman (Egypt).

In a landmark public health achievement, Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) and the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, no longer poses a public health threat in the country.

"I congratulate the government and people of Papua New Guinea on this incredible achievement, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus," WHO Director-General. "This success demonstrates what can be achieved when science and sustained partnerships come together to serve the health and dignity of communities."

Official recognition was made during the 78th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, following a comprehensive review of PNG's elimination dossier.

Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through personal contact, flies that have been in contact with eye or nose discharge and contact with infected surfaces. Repeated infections can lead to scarring, in-turning of the eyelids, and ultimately irreversible blindness. Globally, the disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water and sanitation is limited.

"Papua New Guinea's achievement is an example of medical science in action," said Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. “It reflects a deep understanding of local epidemiology and a commitment to using the right interventions for the right reasons. We commend the National Department of Health, health workers, researchers, and partners for their persistent efforts."

In PNG, population-based surveys conducted in 2015 found signs of active trachoma in children but very low levels of Chlamydia trachomatis, as well as negligible levels of trachomatous trichiasis – the advanced stage of the disease that causes blindness. A follow-up ancillary survey in 2020 further confirmed that affected children were not progressing to more severe disease. This epidemiological pattern, shared with other Melanesian countries, provided the foundation for PNG’s successful claim to have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

Unlike many other countries where trachoma elimination has required surgery campaigns, antibiotic mass drug administration and targeted improvements in access to water, sanitation and hygiene, PNG’s success was driven by robust disease surveillance. The country’s National Department of Health, with the support from partners, oversaw a series of rapid assessments, prevalence surveys, and community-level investigations. These efforts confirmed that community-wide interventions for trachoma were not warranted.

PNG's trachoma elimination programme received technical and financial support from WHO, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Brien Holden Vision Institute, Sightsavers, PNG Eye Care, and several other organizations. The programme also benefited from scientific collaborations with the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, Collaborative Vision, Tropical Data and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, among many others.

Since 2016, 13 countries in the Western Pacific Region have been validated by WHO for eliminating at least one NTD. Trachoma elimination is part of broader progress on NTDs in PNG and the Western Pacific Region.

Trachoma is the first neglected tropical disease eliminated in PNG. Following this successful validation, globally, 56 countries have eliminated at least one NTD, including 22 others that have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. PNG joining these groups enhances our collective momentum toward the targets of the NTD road map 2021–2030.

WHO continues to support countries in their efforts to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs, ensuring healthier lives for all, particularly the most disadvantaged.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized four countries—the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Norway, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Singapore—for their exemplary efforts in eliminating industrially produced trans fats from their food supplies. These countries, which were validated earlier this year, have implemented best-practice policies alongside effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to promote public health. This brings the total number of countries validated to nine, including Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, which were recognized in 2024.

The WHO validation certificates for 2025 were officially presented by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly. “Eliminating industrially produced trans fats is one of the most cost-effective strategies to reduce the global burden of cardiovascular diseases. Trans fats are a major contributor to preventable deaths each year, particularly due to their impact on heart health,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “These countries are not only protecting the health of their populations, but also setting an exemplary standard for other countries to follow.”

This recognition marks another significant milestone in the global effort to eliminate trans fats, reflecting not only policy commitments but also the concrete actions being taken to remove trans fat from the food supply.

Trans fat clogs arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and coronary heart disease – responsible for over 278 000 deaths each year globally. Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids (TFA), are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either artificial (industrial) or natural sources. Industrially produced trans fats are often found in many baked goods such as biscuits, pies and fried foods, as well as margarine, vegetable shortening, Vanaspati ghee, among many others. Both industrially produced and naturally occurring trans fats are equally harmful.

“Recognizing the incredible harm caused by industrially produced trans fats, we became the second country to introduce measures to eliminate it. An EU-wide regulation is now in place, and Austria acknowledges its pioneering role in this important development. Bold, evidence-based policies can deliver real public health impact, and we are proud to be among the countries leading this global effort,” said Korinna Schumann, Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Austria.

Seven years ago, WHO called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fats. At that time, only 11 countries covering 6% of the global population had best-practice trans-fat elimination policies in effect. Today, nearly 60 countries have best-practice policies in effect, covering 46% of the global population.

“Eliminating industrially produced trans fats marks a significant milestone in our commitment to protecting our population’s health. We are proud to be among the 60 countries implementing this lifesaving policy, and especially honored to be recognized as one of the nine countries leading the way in eliminating this harmful ingredient,” said Dr Hilal bin Ali bin Hilal Alsabti, Minister of Health, Oman.

WHO recommends that governments implement best-practice trans fat elimination policies either by setting a mandatory limit of 2 grams of trans fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods and/or by banning the production and use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) as an ingredient in food products. The WHO validation programme for trans fat elimination recognizes countries that have gone beyond introducing best practice policies by ensuring that rigorous monitoring and enforcement systems in place. Monitoring and enforcing compliance with policies is critical to maximizing and sustaining health benefits.

"Our efforts to implement robust best-practice trans fat elimination policies are showing clear, measurable results. Latest monitoring data confirm that it is possible to reduce trans fats intake in accordance with WHO’s recommendation on trans fat reduction”  said Jan Christian Vestre, Minister of Health and Care Services, Norway.

Replacing trans fats with healthier oils and fats is a low-cost intervention that yields high economic returns by improving population health, saving lives and reducing healthcare costs. Governments can eliminate the cause of 7% of cardiovascular disease globally with a low-cost investment aimed at reducing or eliminating trans fats from the food supply.

“Our journey towards eliminating industrially produced trans fats began over a decade ago. Today, we have made significant progress. This is a powerful testament to what can be achieved through applying a consistent public health policy, across countries and regions, and working collaboratively with the industries. We are proud to stand alongside other countries in building a healthier and safer food environment for all,” said Mr Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Health, Singapore.

WHO remains committed to supporting countries in their efforts and to recognizing their achievements. By working with national nutrition and food safety authorities, WHO can better support governments not only in developing and adopting trans fat elimination policies, but also in monitoring and enforcing them to ensure lasting impact.

The next application cycle for the TFA elimination validation programme is now open and countries are welcome to apply by 31 August 2025 to be considered for the third cycle.
 

Editor’s note 1

The World Health Organization has partnered with Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization, to support the development and implementation of the REPLACE action package. Launched in 2018, the WHO’s REPLACE action package provides a strategic approach to eliminating industrially produced trans fat from national food supplies.

Editor’s note 2

On 23 May 2025, edits were made to the beginning of this news release as follows:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized four countries – the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Norway, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Singapore – for their exemplary efforts in eliminating industrially produced trans fats from their food supplies. These countries have implemented best-practice policies alongside effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to promote public health.

The WHO validation certificates were officially presented by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly.

was changed to:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized four countries – the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Norway, the Sultanate of Oman and the Republic of Singapore – for their exemplary efforts in eliminating industrially produced trans fats from their food supplies. These countries, which were validated earlier this year, have implemented best-practice policies alongside effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to promote public health. This brings the total number of countries validated to nine, including Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, which were recognized in 2024.

The WHO validation certificates for 2025 were officially presented by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly. 

Philanthropic support plays a vital role in enabling countries to build stronger health systems and advance towards health equity. From vaccine equity and pandemic preparedness to primary health care, the contributions of philanthropic partners help drive progress across WHO’s key priorities.

The importance of philanthropic support was underscored by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, in his recent remarks to the Philanthropy Asia Summit, held in Singapore on 5–7 May 2025. In his remarks, he expressed his appreciation to the Temasek Foundation and the Philanthropy Asia Alliance for organizing the Summit while highlighting the importance of philanthropy in strengthening global health, supporting country self-reliance, and partnering with WHO to address health challenges in an increasingly turbulent world.

At the Summit, Dr Tedros thanked His Excellency President Tharman and Singapore, for its leadership in global health and its support to WHO. Dr Tedros stated that Singapore and the Temasek Foundation were amongst the first to pledge support to WHO’s Investment Round.“We look forward to your continued leadership and partnership as we work together to realize WHO’s founding vision: the highest attainable standard of health – not as a luxury for some, but a right for all”, said Dr Tedros.

During the Investment Round, WHO has sought to expand its donor base, including by engaging strategically with philanthropic organizations. As Dr Tedros noted, partnerships with philanthropies help countries to strengthen essential health services and make sustainable progress towards universal health coverage.

Philanthropic actors play a vital role in improving global health outcomes, providing significant resources and expertise needed to build stronger and more accessible health-care systems. Investments made by philanthropic partners often complement and amplify the work of governments, international organizations and other stakeholders in the global health community.

Philanthropy can be particularly effective in supporting innovative or high-risk research that may not be funded though more traditional funding sources. Philanthropic actors are effective partners when it comes to raising awareness and advocating for policies to improve global health outcomes, address health disparities and promote health equity.

Looking ahead, philanthropic collaboration will remain central to achieving the goals outlined in WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work. Developing strong partnerships with philanthropic actors allows WHO to leverage the strengths of a range of global health players to bring better health to people and maximize impact.

The Seventy-eighth session of the World Health Assembly (WHA78) will convene from 19 to 27 May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland, under the theme “One World for Health”. 

The Health Assembly will bring together high-level country representatives and other stakeholders to address health challenges. This year’s gathering comes at a pivotal moment for global health, as Member States confront emerging threats and major shifts in the landscape for global health and international development.

This year’s theme underscores WHO’s enduring commitment to solidarity and equity, highlighting that even in unprecedented times, everyone, everywhere should have an equal chance to live a healthy life.  

A highly anticipated moment of the WHA78 will be the consideration of the Pandemic Agreement, a landmark proposal developed over three years of intense negotiations by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, composed of all WHO Member States. The adoption of the agreement is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard the world from a repeat of the suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The proposal will be the second ever presented for approval under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, which gives Member States the authority to reach agreements on global health.

“This year’s World Health Assembly will be truly historic with countries, after 3 years of negotiations, considering for adoption the first global compact to better protect people from pandemics,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The Pandemic Agreement can make the world safer by boosting collaboration among countries fairly in the preparedness, prevention and response to pandemics.” 

WHO’s sustainable financing is a key priority of the Health Assembly. Member States will consider a scheduled 20% increase in assessed contributions (membership fees), towards the next Programme Budget 2026–2027 (PB26-27). The PB26–27, also for approval by the Health Assembly, is the first full biennium under WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14), WHO’s strategy for global health for 2025–2028. The Programme Budget for 2026–2027 was under consultation by Member States, to prioritize activities and adjust the budget to the current financial realities, by reducing it by 22%, to US$ 4.267 billion, from the original proposed budget of US$ 5.3 billion. 

Reprioritization of WHO’s work, including cost-saving measures and budget adjustments, will also apply to the current year, 2025. The aim is to focus on WHO’s core work and increase efficiency. The reprioritization is a critical step to aligning WHO’s resources with the most urgent global health needs and getting health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track. 

Sustainable financing was one of several transformation priorities put in place by the WHO Director-General to ensure a more efficient and impactful WHO when he first took office. On Tuesday, 20 May, there will be a high-level pledging moment for the Investment Round, where Member States and philanthropies are expected to announce funding for WHO. 

Member States will assess progress made over the past year, including a review of the 2024 Results Report – the final report measuring progress toward WHO’s Triple Billion targets under its Thirteenth General Programme of Work. 

The Health Assembly will consider approximately 75 items and sub-items and is expected to approve more than 40 resolutions/decisions, many of which are put forward by the Executive Board at its 156th session (EB156), where they have been previously discussed. 

The packed agenda covers a diverse range of topics in WHO’s Programme of Work, such as the health and care workforce, antimicrobial resistance, health emergencies, preparedness, polio, climate change and social connection as determinants of health, among other issues.  

On the morning of Friday, 23 May, the WHA President will present public health prizes and awards, recognizing exceptional contributions by individuals and organizations to the advancement of public health. 

It is also expected that the Director-General will announce two Director-General’s Awards for Global Health on the morning of Tuesday, 20 May. 

Forty-five official side events will take place at the Palais des Nations from Monday 19 May to Saturday 24 May (see the complete list).  A list of other events is available here.   

A high-level pledging event will be held on Tuesday 20 May, from 18:45 to 19:45 CEST in Room XVIII at the Palais des Nations. The event: Sustainable financing of WHO for impact in the new global health landscape, will serve as a platform for Member States and partners to announce pledges and commitments towards WHO’s Investment Round. More details and webcast.

A Ministerial Roundtable on data and sustainable financing will be held on Wednesday 21 May, from 13:00 to 14:20 CEST in Room XVIII at the Palais des Nations. This high-level roundtable will bring together ministers of health and finance, global partners, and technical leaders to identify scalable actions that strengthen country-led health data systems and sustainable financing strategies for universal health coverage and the health-related SDGs. More information: here.

Due to resource constraints, additional events will be limited. WHA78 will take place in a challenging financial environment. Several actions have been taken by the WHO in an effort to contain costs, including reducing speaking times when possible, in order to reduce evening sessions to a minimum, severely limiting hospitality, displays and exhibits and event costs, amongst other administrative cost-saving measures. 

Member States and partners are organizing events on the sidelines of the WHA. More information through the WHA Guide and the WHA78 page through the UN Foundation.

• Monday 19 May: Morning: Opening of the Assembly; including the presidential address and the address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General. Committee A begins deliberations on the Pandemic Agreement in the afternoon.
• Tuesday 20 May: Morning: Adoption of the Pandemic Agreement (expected), followed by the High-level Segment featuring statements from dignitaries and a Director-General’s keynote speech and the Director-General's Awards for Global Health. Afternoon, Committee A: Discussion on the Proposed Programme Budget 2026–2027, including discussion on the AC increase. Evening: high-level pledging event for the WHO Investment Round
• Wednesday 21 May: Lunch hour: Ministerial Roundtable on data and sustainable financing
• Friday 23 May: Morning: Presentation of the Public Health Prizes and Awards  

The agenda and the times might change. A daily journal will be published every morning on the WHA78 Documents page to provide more detailed information on the daily timings. 

The Health Assembly will take place after the Forty-second Meeting of the Programme, Budget and Administrative Committee of the Executive Board (PBAC42), which is being held from 14 to 16 May.

After the Assembly, the 157th Executive Board (EB157) meeting will take place on 28 and 29 May, with the appointment of the next Regional Director for the WHO African Region on the agenda. Related to this item, a special session of the AFRO Regional Committee will take place on Sunday 18 May to nominate a candidate for the post of Regional Director. The webcast of the EB157 public sessions and related documentation is here. 

As WHO’s highest decision-making body, the World Health Assembly sets out the Organization’s policy and approves its budget. The Health Assembly is attended by delegations from all WHO Member States.

• Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly
• Provisional agenda 
• Live webcast of WHA78 public sessions
  

As we make this transition to the new leadership team, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the remarkable contributions of those colleagues who will be leaving their executive management positions on 16 June 2025.

I am truly grateful to: 

Dr Michael J. Ryan, Deputy Director-General and Executive Director for Health Emergencies, Preparedness, and Response.  Mike planned to leave over two years ago but stayed on at my request, and I am very thankful for that. His steady presence has been instrumental during our toughest times, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  His dedication to emergency response has changed how we work, helping us face unprecedented challenges with compassion and effectiveness. I also appreciate his leadership during the prioritization process in these difficult times.

Dr Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General for UHC/Life Course for his key role in responding to public health emergencies like Ebola and COVID-19. He showed a unique talent for building partnerships through the ACT-A initiative, driving forward WHO’s transformation agenda, and leading the development of the Fourteenth General Programme of Work, 2025–2028. 

Dr Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General for Data, Analytics, and Delivery for Impact, for her strong commitment to improving the role of data, evidence, and measurable impact at the country level, and for establishing the WHO data hub.

Dr Catharina Cora Boehme, Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Governance, for her leadership in creating and driving the first-ever Investment Round aimed at sustainable financing for WHO and her earlier role as Chef de Cabinet.

Dr Li Ailan, Assistant Director-General for UHC/Healthier Populations, for her incredible leadership in WHO’s Healthier Populations initiative.  Her experience at both regional and country levels has been invaluable in ensuring our focus remains on prevention and addressing health issues that affect people's lives.

Dr Jérôme Salomon, Assistant Director-General, UHC/Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases for his contribution in advancing the agenda on communicable diseases, noncommunicable diseases, mental health and neglected tropical diseases across silos to better integrate services and strengthen health systems.

As our colleagues move on to their next chapters, I want to thank them, once again, for their dedication to our mission and for their exceptional leadership and service.

The risk of famine in Gaza is increasing with the deliberate withholding of humanitarian aid, including food, in the ongoing blockade.

The entire 2.1 million population of Gaza is facing prolonged food shortages, with nearly half a million people in a catastrophic situation of hunger, acute malnutrition, starvation, illness and death. This is one of the world’s worst hunger crises, unfolding in real time.

The latest food security analysis was released today by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership, of which WHO is a member.

“We do not need to wait for a declaration of famine in Gaza to know that people are already starving, sick and dying, while food and medicines are minutes away across the border,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Today’s report shows that without immediate access to food and essential supplies, the situation will continue to deteriorate, causing more deaths and descent into famine.”

Famine has not yet been declared, but people are starving now. Three quarters of Gaza’s population are at “Emergency” or “Catastrophic” food deprivation, the worst two levels of IPC's five level scale of food insecurity and nutritional deprivation.

Since the aid blockade began on 2 March 2025, 57 children have reportedly died from the effects of malnutrition, according to the Ministry of Health. This number is likely an underestimate and is likely to increase.  If the situation persists, nearly 71 000 children under the age of five are expected to be acutely malnourished over the next eleven months, according to the IPC report.

People in Gaza are trapped in a dangerous cycle where malnutrition and disease fuel each other, turning everyday illness into a potential death sentence, particularly for children. Malnutrition weakens the bodies, making it harder to heal from injuries and fight off common communicable diseases like diarrhoea, pneumonia, and measles. In turn, these infections increase the body’s requirement for nutrition, while reducing nutrient intake and absorption, resulting in worsening malnutrition. With health care out of reach, vaccine coverage plummeting, access to clean water and sanitation severely limited, and increased child protection concerns, the risk of severe illness and death grows, especially for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, who urgently need treatment to survive.

Pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are also at high risk of malnutrition, with nearly 17 000 expected to require treatment for acute malnutrition over the next eleven months, if the dire situation does not change. Malnourished mothers struggle to produce enough nutritious milk, putting their babies at risk, while the delivery of counselling services for mothers is heavily compromised. For infants under six months, breastmilk is their best protection against hunger and disease – especially where clean water is scarce, as it is in Gaza.

The long-term impact and damage from malnutrition can last a lifetime in the form of stunted growth, impaired cognitive development, and poor health. Without enough nutritious food, clean water, and access to health care, an entire generation will be permanently affected.

The plan recently announced by Israeli authorities to deliver food and other essential items across Gaza via proposed distribution sites is grossly inadequate to meet the immediate needs of over two million people. WHO echoes the UN’s call for the global humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, independence and neutrality to be upheld and respected and for unimpeded humanitarian access to be granted to provide aid based on people’s needs, wherever they may be. A well-established and proven humanitarian coordination system, led by the UN and its partners, is already in place and must be allowed to function fully to ensure that aid is delivered in a principled, timely, and equitable manner.

The aid blockade and shrinking humanitarian access continue to undermine WHO’s ability to support 16 outpatient and three inpatient malnutrition treatment centres with life-saving supplies, and to sustain the broader health system. The remaining supplies in WHO’s stocks inside Gaza are only enough to treat 500 children with acute malnutrition – a fraction of the urgent need – while essential medicines and supplies to treat diseases and trauma injuries are already running out and cannot be replenished due to the blockade.

People are dying while WHO and partners’ life-saving medical supplies sit just outside Gaza – ready for deployment, with safeguards in place to ensure the aid reaches those who need it most in line with humanitarian principles. WHO calls for the protection of health care and for an immediate end to the aid blockade, which is starving people, obstructing their right to health, and robbing them of dignity and hope. WHO calls for the release of all hostages, and for a ceasefire, which leads to lasting peace. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) Results Report 2024, shows progress on global health goals, even in times of growing financial uncertainties.

The report, released ahead of the Seventy-eight World Health Assembly (19–27 May 2025), presents a mid-term assessment of WHO’s performance in implementing the Programme budget 2024–2025, providing a snapshot of progress towards the strategic priorities of the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2025.

The report highlights WHO’s work in over 150 countries, territories and provides an update on the implementation of the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, showcasing both the achievements so far and challenges ahead.

“This report shows how, with WHO’s support, many countries are making progress on a huge range of health indicators, helping their populations to live healthier lives, giving them greater access to essential health services, and keeping them safer against health emergencies,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “In a world of multiple overlapping challenges and constrained resources for global health, these results demonstrate why the world needs a strong and sustainably-financed WHO, delivering the high-quality, trusted support on which countries and their people rely.”

The report shows significant progress on coverage with essential health services, protection from health emergencies, and enjoyment of healthier lives. Still, the progress is insufficient to reach the health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

On the first billion – 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage – an estimated 431 million more people, close to half of the goal, are estimated to be covered with essential health services without catastrophic health spending. This progress is largely driven by improvements in the healthcare workforce, increased access to contraception and expanded HIV antiretroviral therapy. However, people continue to face financial hardships and challenges in immunization programmes persist.

Regarding the second billion – 1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies – an estimated 637 million more people are better protected through stronger preparedness, surveillance, workforce capacity, and equitable access to tools and services, supported by reforms such as the amendments to the International Health Regulations. Yet financial constraints threaten pandemic response efforts. In the face of the H5N1 avian flu outbreak, there is a continued need for pandemic preparedness. After more than three years of negotiations, WHO member states have drafted a pandemic agreement that will be up for consideration at the upcoming World Health Assembly. The draft proposal includes measures for an increased research infrastructure, emergency global health workforces and other key mechanisms to prevent and respond to pandemic threats.

For the third billion – 1 billion more people enjoying better health and well-being – the report shows that 1.4 billion more people are living with better health and well-being, surpassing the initial goal. This is due to reduced tobacco use, improved air quality, clean household fuels, and access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Key challenges lie in addressing increased obesity and alcohol consumption.

However, reaching the goals faces growing challenges. Pause in foreign aid and reduction of health budgets further strain already fragile health systems, especially in communities with the greatest health needs. Financial constraints threaten pandemic response efforts. Reduced funding will also undermine hard-won progress.

WHO has taken concrete steps to become more efficient and effective, including by improving operational efficiency and transparency through digital innovation, enhanced support services, and stronger risk and security systems. In 2024, WHO strengthened its support for generating, accessing and using data paving the way for more evidence-based programming and timelier on the ground impact.

Seven countries eliminated a neglected tropical disease in 2024, reaching 54 countries that have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease. Guinea worm disease is now closer than ever to eradication.

WHO assigned 481 international nonproprietary names for medicines and 185 countries accessed the WHO database of medical devices nomenclature.

Seventy million more people had access to mental health services by the end of 2024 and at least one million people living with a mental health condition received treatment.

An emergency polio campaign in the Gaza Strip vaccinated more than half a million children.

With support from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO distributed 259 000 mpox tests in 32 countries. Globally, 6 million mpox vaccine doses were pledged.

WHO coordinated responses to 51 graded emergencies in 89 countries and territories. WHO’s emergency medical teams performed more than 37 000 surgeries and supported infection prevention and control, WASH, trauma care, and mental health support.

WHO trained over 15 000 health providers and policy-makers across more than 160 Member States on addressing the health needs of refugees and migrants.

WHO collaboration with UNICEF and other UN agencies has resulted in multiyear funding programmes in 15 high-burden countries, reaching 9.3 million children and saving an estimated 1 million lives.

Increasing efficiency, the global digital health certification network supported by WHO has now enabled about 2 billion people to carry digital health records.

WHO recognizes the sustained commitment of Member States and will work with new and existing donors and partners to secure additional funding. Securing predictable, sustainable and resilient financing is the key objective of the Investment Round, which has mobilized over US$ 1.7 billion in pledges from 71 contributors, covering 53% of WHO’s voluntary funding needs.

The Results Report is crucial to WHO’s accountability to Member States. This report ensures that funding is used to deliver impact, results are regularly measured, and future needs are correctly identified, based upon lessons-learned.

The global nursing workforce has grown from 27.9 million in 2018 to 29.8 million in 2023, but wide disparities in the availability of nurses remain across regions and countries, according to the State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report, published by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Council of Nurses (ICN) and partners. Inequities in the global nursing workforce leave many of the world’s population without access to essential health services, which could threaten progress towards universal health coverage (UHC), global health security and the health-related development goals. 

The new report released on International Nurses Day provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of the nursing workforce at global, regional and country levels. Consolidating information from WHO’s 194 Member States, the evidence indicates global progress in reducing the nursing workforce shortage from 6.2 million in 2020 to 5.8 million in 2023, with a projection to decline to 4.1 million by 2030. But, the overall progress still masks deep regional disparities: approximately 78% of the world’s nurses are concentrated in countries representing just 49% of the global population.  

Low- and middle-income countries are facing challenges in graduating, employing and retaining nurses in the health system and will need to raise domestic investments to create and sustain jobs. In parallel, high-income countries need to be prepared to manage high levels of retiring nurses and review their reliance on foreign-trained nurses, strengthening bilateral agreements with the countries they recruit from.   

"This report contains encouraging news, for which we congratulate the countries that are making progress,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “However, we cannot ignore the inequalities that mark the global nursing landscape. On International Nurses Day, I urge countries and partners to use this report as a signpost, showing us where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where we need to go – as rapidly as possible.”

The State of the World’s Nursing 2025 (SoWN) report, based on data reported by 194 countries through the National Health Workforce Accounts, shows a 33% increase in the number of countries reporting data since the last edition in 2020. It includes detailed country profiles now available for public access online.

The report reveals complex disparities between and among countries, regions and socio-economic contexts. The data and evidence are intended to support country-led dialogue to contextualize the findings into policies and actions.

“We welcome the SoWN 2025 report as an important milestone for monitoring progress on strengthening and supporting the nursing workforce towards global health goals,” said Pam Cipriano, President, International Council of Nurses. “The report clearly exposes the inequalities that are holding back the nursing profession and acting as a barrier to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Delivering on UHC is dependent on truly recognizing the value of nurses and on harnessing the power and influence of nurses to act as catalysts of positive change in our health systems.”

Gender and equity remain central concerns in the nursing workforce. Women continue to dominate the profession, making up 85% of the global nursing workforce.

Findings suggest that 1 in 7 nurses worldwide – and 23% in high-income countries – are foreign-born, highlighting reliance on international migration. In contrast, the proportion is significantly lower in upper middle-income countries (8%), lower middle-income countries (1%), and low-income countries (3%).

Low-income countries are increasing nurse graduate numbers at a faster pace than high-income countries. In many countries, hard-earned gains in the graduation rate of nurses are not resulting in improved densities due to the faster pace of population growth and lower employment opportunities.  To address this, countries should create jobs to ensure graduates are hired and integrated into the health system and improve working conditions.

Age demographics and retirement trends reveal a mixed picture. The global nursing workforce is relatively young: 33% of nurses are aged under 35 years, compared with 19% who are expected to retire in the next 10 years. However, in 20 countries – mostly high-income – retirements are expected to outpace new entrants, raising concerns about nurse shortfalls, and having fewer experienced nurses to mentor early career nurses.

Around two thirds (62%) of countries reported the existence of advanced practice nursing roles – marking significant progress since 2020 (where only 53% reported advanced practice nursing roles).  These types of nurses have been shown to expand access to and quality of care in many different settings.  

The report also highlights improvements in nursing leadership: 82% of countries reported having a senior government nursing official to manage the nursing workforce. However, leadership development opportunities remain uneven. While 66% of countries report having such initiatives in place, only 25% of low-income countries offer structured leadership development.

Mental health and workforce well-being remain areas of concern. Only 42% of responding countries have provisions for nurses’ mental health support, despite increased workloads and trauma experienced during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing this is essential to retain skilled professionals and ensure quality of care.

The report introduces forward-looking policy priorities, calling on countries to:

• expand and equitably distribute nursing jobs, especially in underserved regions;
• strengthen domestic education systems and align qualifications with defined roles;
• improve working conditions, pay equity, and mental well-being support;
• further develop nursing regulation and advanced practice nursing roles;
• promote gender equity and protect nurses working in fragile, conflict-affected settings;
• harness digital technologies and prepare nurses for climate-responsive care; and
• advance nursing leadership and ensure leadership development opportunities are equitable.

The evidence in the report provides an impetus for continued alignment to the policy priorities in the WHO Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021–2025, and the actions recommended in the resolution submitted to the 78th World Health Assembly:  Accelerating action on the health and care workforce by 2030.

Note to editors:

The State of the World’s Nursing 2025 report presents the most contemporary evidence on the global nursing workforce, including education, employment, migration, regulation, working conditions, leadership and more. The report includes updated indicators and robust estimates on global and regional-level nursing stock, shortage, and projections to 2030. Online county profiles provide national level data in a downloadable (PDF) format.