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.
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.
Key priorities
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.
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.
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.
Awards and recognition
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.
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 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.
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.
Assembly timeline highlights
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 RoundWednesday 21 May: Lunch hour: Ministerial Roundtable on data and sustainable financingFriday 23 May: Morning: Presentation of the Public Health Prizes and AwardsThe 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.
About the World Health Assembly
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 AssemblyProvisional agenda Live webcast of WHA78 public sessions Read More Details
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