Worldwide, at least 40 million children aged 13–15 use tobacco products, and young people’s use of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches continues to rise. In advance of World No Tobacco Day – 31 May – the World Health Organization (WHO) urges governments around the world to protect a new generation from becoming addicted to tobacco and…
In response to the current outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda, WHO convened several of its expert and advisory groups. These groups assessed potential vaccines and therapeutics for both prevention and treatment of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD). The WHO…
To the people of DRC, especially to the people of Ituri Jambo kwenu wakahaji wa Ituri Mbote na bino, bato ya Ituri My name is Tedros, and I am the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). But today, I am not writing to you as an official. I am writing to you as someone…
At the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in Geneva this week, Member States adopted more than 20 decisions and 13 resolutions on health issues including stroke, liver disease, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, diagnostic imaging, emergency care, haemophilia, precision medicine and radiation. The Assembly also covered a range of political and administrative issues, including the agreement to reform…
Member States establish joint process to support reforms of global health architecture The World Health Assembly today decided to establish a joint process led by Member States, hosted by WHO and with global health partners to support reforms of the global health architecture. The Assembly agreed that the process should develop options and recommendations for…
On 17 May 2026, pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 12 – Determination of a public health emergency of international concern, including a pandemic emergency of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the Director-General (DG) of the World Health Organization (WHO), after having consulted the States Parties where the event was known to be occurring, determined…
Public health awards Today at the World Health Assembly, six laureates from around the world received awards for their outstanding contributions to public health. The 2026 prizes celebrate the remarkable dedication of these professionals and institutions to advancing primary health care, reducing inequities and bringing the goal of health for all closer to reality. The awards were presented by the President of the…
Countries support development of a post-2030 strategy to end tuberculosis The Assembly, today, endorsed a decision requesting the Director-General to develop a post-2030 tuberculosis (TB) strategy, in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders, to be submitted to the Eighty-first World Health Assembly in 2028. The new strategy will help guide the future global TB response, considering emerging scientific advances and current epidemiological trends. The…
Today, the World Health Assembly recognized individuals and institutions whose contributions to global health have gone far beyond the call of duty. Six laureates representing diverse backgrounds and contexts were honoured by the President of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly, Dr Víctor Elias Atallah Lajam of Dominican Republic, together with representatives of the foundations that…
At the World Health Assembly today, Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus presented his report on the work of WHO to Member States and the Assembly started general discussion under the theme “Reshaping global health: a shared responsibility”. The Secretariat presented certificates of achievement for outstanding public health achievements: Algeria, Australia, Burundi, Egypt, Fiji, Libya,…
