Dignitaries from various member states of the World Health Organization convened at the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland on May 20-28, 2019.

“Let me commend you all on the ambition of this year’s theme Universal Health Coverage: Leaving no one behind. The work that we do on a day-to-day basis may be different for each and everyone of us but we are all united as one UN family by a shared sense of purpose, by our commitment to make the world a better place, by our promise to leave no one behind,” saysCorinne Momal-Vanian, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office in Geneva as she welcomed the dignitaries at the Palais de Nacion.   

The eight-day convention focused on various specific health agenda that will drive forward the WHA goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage for all. The first plenary session saw the President and other officials and committee chairs of the 72nd WHA elected. As the outgoing First Vice-President of the 71st WHA, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III presided over the election of the officials for the 72nd WHA.

Split into two committees, delegates extensively discussed various priority health agenda simultaneously throughout the duration of the Assembly including strategic priority matters, such as the Universal health coverage, antimicrobial resistance, implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, patient safety, emergency preparedness and response, addressing the global shortage of, and access to, medicines and vaccines, other technical issues like sharing of influenza strains, health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, and various financial matters.
 

According to Dr. Carlos, the Philippines was identified to be one such provider of assistance because of its globally-recognized 30-year AMR surveillance program and its AMR Stewardship Program.

“A joint WHO/FAO/OIE mission team is being planned to visit the Philippines to discuss with high officials of DOH and DA on how to proceed with this twinning arrangement and to provide political support for the Philippines to implement a One Health Approach towards the control of AMR,” Dr. Carlos says on the role that Philippines, through DOH and RITM will play on achieving the goals of the newly-established AMR unit.

The meeting was likewise attended by around seven of Dr. Balkhy’s staff and Dr. Gundo Weiler, WHO country representative for the Philippines. “AMR is a high priority agenda of the WHO which has impact to the treatment of many infectious diseases causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide such as tuberculosis, TB, malaria, hospital pathogens, pneumonia, diarrhea and many more,” emphasized Dr. Carlos.

Dignitaries from various member states of the World Health Organization convened at the 72nd World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva, Switzerland on May 20-28, 2019.

“Let me commend you all on the ambition of this year’s theme Universal Health Coverage: Leaving no one behind. The work that we do on a day-to-day basis may be different for each and everyone of us but we are all united as one UN family by a shared sense of purpose, by our commitment to make the world a better place, by our promise to leave no one behind,” saysCorinne Momal-Vanian, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Office in Geneva as she welcomed the dignitaries at the Palais de Nacion.   

The eight-day convention focused on various specific health agenda that will drive forward the WHA goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage for all. The first plenary session saw the President and other officials and committee chairs of the 72nd WHA elected. As the outgoing First Vice-President of the 71st WHA, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III presided over the election of the officials for the 72nd WHA.

Split into two committees, delegates extensively discussed various priority health agenda simultaneously throughout the duration of the Assembly including strategic priority matters, such as the Universal health coverage, antimicrobial resistance, implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, patient safety, emergency preparedness and response, addressing the global shortage of, and access to, medicines and vaccines, other technical issues like sharing of influenza strains, health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, and various financial matters.
 

As one of the members of the Philippine delegation, RITM OIC Director IV, Dr. Celia Carlospresented three intervention papers on Universal Health Care, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), and Migrant workers. Dr. Carlos and Dr. Ferchito Avelino of the DOH Epidemiology Bureau also attended a meeting requested by Dr. Hanan Balkhy, newly designated Assistant Director-General of WHO for the newly created Antimicrobial Resistance unit of the WHO.

“WHO actually had selected some countries which they hope will participate in a twinning program to provide technical assistance to countries needing such so that ultimately all WHO member states are able to draft and implement their AMR action plan,” says Dr. Carlos, providing insights on a possible new global role of the Philippines with respect to the containment of AMR.

According to Dr. Carlos, the Philippines was identified to be one such provider of assistance because of its globally-recognized 30-year AMR surveillance program and its AMR Stewardship Program.

“A joint WHO/FAO/OIE mission team is being planned to visit the Philippines to discuss with high officials of DOH and DA on how to proceed with this twinning arrangement and to provide political support for the Philippines to implement a One Health Approach towards the control of AMR,” Dr. Carlos says on the role that Philippines, through DOH and RITM will play on achieving the goals of the newly-established AMR unit.

The meeting was likewise attended by around seven of Dr. Balkhy’s staff and Dr. Gundo Weiler, WHO country representative for the Philippines. “AMR is a high priority agenda of the WHO which has impact to the treatment of many infectious diseases causing significant morbidity and mortality worldwide such as tuberculosis, TB, malaria, hospital pathogens, pneumonia, diarrhea and many more,” emphasized Dr. Carlos.

by Reina Manongsong, Communication and Engagement Office