Physical Wellness

69th World Health Assembly: World Leaders Discuss Health Issues Across The Globe

By Brian McNeill | Update Date: May 25, 2016 06:00 AM EDT

The 69th session of the World Health Assembly is finally underway as top experts try to share their takes on diseases and illnesses plaguing the world today. The annual assembly will see the gathering of World Health Organization member states once more as they take on a heavy agenda that is expected to include a large attendance.

Among the key topics that will be on the table include the lack of antibiotics to address bacterial resistance, global shortages of vaccines and medicines, the fight against substandard drugs, and a framework to guard against undue influence of outside actors on the work of the WHO are part of a picture. Also expected to up for discussion is why there seems to be a gray area as far as delivering important medicines to countries, both developed and developing regions.

The assembly kicked off last May 23 and will run until May 28 over Geneva and can be followed by folks via live stream from May 24-26. A link to the stream can be found here.

Below are the topics up for discussion along with their respective dates.

  • Antimicrobial resistance on 24 May
  • Sustainable Development Goals on 25 May
  • WHO’s work in emergencies on 26 May

There will be guest experts gracing the event as well and they will try to answer the questions submitted by the public via live stream chat boxes. Alternatively, questions will be answered by the select experts through social medium Twitter with hashtags #WHA69 and #SocialGood.

Festivities kicked off last May 23 with WHO Director General Margaret Chan making her annual address. She was followed by reps from other countries who spoke on the United Nations 2030 agenda covering Sustainable Development.

Among the invited speakers for WHA 69 include Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Chan mentioned in a press briefing that there will be 76 agenda items along with 74 documents with over 1,200 pages for delegates to read and discuss. 21 resolutions coming from member states and 30 side events are also to be expected.

“It is good that global health is taking such a prominent position,” said Chan. “Especially in the context of the Sustainable Development Agenda for the next 15 years. So we’re very happy with this rather crowded meeting.”

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