The Minister of Health presents the Board’s report to the World Health Assembly

Geneva: Minister of Public Health and Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO),

HE Dr Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari presented the Executive Board’s report of the 153rd and 154th sessions as well as the 7th special session at the 77th meetings of the World Health Assembly held in Geneva, which lasted until June 1.

HE Al Kuwari emphasized that during the 7th special session in December 2023, the Executive Board adopted a resolution on health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. The resolution called on member states, donors and international humanitarian and development actors to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people. The Management Board also expressed deep concern about the serious humanitarian crisis developing in the Gaza Strip.

The Minister noted that the Executive Board had recommended to the World Health Assembly to adopt a decision aimed at promoting health and well-being through sporting events.

The draft decision on “Enhancing health and well-being through sporting events”, adopted by the Executive Board at its 154th session, was proposed by Qatar and supported by many countries, including EU Member States, African Union countries, China, Belarus, Malaysia, Panama and the countries of the eastern Mediterranean region. The draft decision draws on the rich experience and heritage of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and aims to use major global sporting events as beacons of health and safety, highlighting the interconnections between sport and health as sources of happiness and well-being.

In her report, HE Dr Al Kuwari noted the Board’s appointments of Dr Hanan Hassan Balkhy as Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Saima Wazed as Regional Director for Southeast Asia and Dr Saia Ma’u Piukal as Regional Director for the Western Pacific. The Board expressed deep gratitude for the significant contributions of the outgoing Regional Directors.

She also highlighted that the Executive Board had decided to recommend to the World Health Assembly the adoption of several decisions, including the “Global Strategy and Action Plan for Integrated Emergency, Critical and Operative Care 2026-2035”, “Increasing Accessibility, Ethical Access and Oversight” of Transplantation Human Cells, Tissues and Organs” and “Global Action Plan and Monitoring Framework for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) 2024-2030”.

Al Kuwari reviewed the main outcomes of the Executive Board session on several key issues across WHO’s four pillars: ensuring that the next billion people have access to universal health care, that the next billion people enjoy better health and well-being, that the next billion people are better protected from health threats, and that the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations in providing better support to countries.

The WHO Executive Board consists of 34 members with technical qualifications in health, elected for a three-year term. Its main functions are to implement the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly, advise it and generally facilitate its work.