The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). Each May, the WHA brings together WHO Member States, partner agencies, civil society organizations, and WHO experts to discuss current and future public health priorities. The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all.
"Health for all" means universal health coverage (UHC), but according to WHO, at least half of the world's population lacks access to essential health services and 100 million people are pushed into extreme poverty each year due to out-of-pocket health expenses.
No single country or entity can achieve UHC on its own. Achieving UHC will require collaboration, partnership, and major paradigm shifts.
Join PATH at the 76th WHA to explore how sustainable financing, digital health systems, strong markets and regulatory systems, and primary health care are critical for achieving UHC.
Read more about our upcoming side events below. Please contact events@path.org with any questions.
Tuesday, May 23
AN INVESTMENT IN DIGITAL HEALTH IS AN INVESTMENT IN UHC
Hosted by Transform Health, DCCC, Geneva Digital Health Hub, OECD, PATH, UHC2030 and YET4H, this event will bring together different stakeholders (e.g. governments, donors, development partners, private sector, civil society, youth, digital health networks) to galvanize wide support and commitment to prioritize investment in digital health transformation, with a focus on the upcoming High-level meeting on UHC in September. It will include group and plenary discussions on the role of different stakeholders in advancing this agenda and accelerating concrete priority actions and recommendations.
- Time: 8:30 - 10:30 CET
- Location: Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
ALLIES FOR IMPROVING PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
PATH invites all primary health care advocates to an informal gathering at the PATH Geneva office. During this time, we will align our advocacy messaging for the week and months ahead! Please come prepared to share your plans for the key asks and moments.
Time: 10:00AM – 12:00PM CET
Location: Rue de Varembé 7, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
FROM DIAGNOSTICS RESOLUTION TO DIAGNOSTIC ACCESS
With the Resolution on Diagnostics on the table at the 76th annual World Health Assembly, there is the need to collectively mobilize for its effective implementation. This event is an intimate roundtable discussion hosted by the Africa CDC, the Open Society Foundations (OSF), and PATH.
- Time: 13:30 - 15:30 CET followed by reception from 15:30 CET onwards
- Location: Maison de la Paix, Geneva
Wednesday, May 24
FROM NEGLECTED NCD TO PRIORITY: ACCELERATING ACTION ON KIDNEY DISEASE
Hosted by Devex and the International Society of Nephrology, this event will shine a spotlight on what’s needed to accelerate action and investment for kidney disease in low- and middle-income countries, as well as the need for more global attention to address the current inequalities of treating and preventing kidney disease.
- Time: 9:00 - 10:00 CET
- Location: InterContinental Hotel, 7 Chem. du Petit-Saconnex 9, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
SELF-CARE: A FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT OF HEALTH SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY
With the Global Self-Care Federation and the Self-Care Trailblazers Group, PATH is hosting a side event where we will discuss how self-care can help manage noncommunicable diseases and relieve the burdens on health systems.
Read the joint statement on the need for stronger PHC and self-care.
- Time: 12:00 - 14:00 CET
- Location: Geneva Press Club
ESTABLISHMENT OF A HARMONIZED AFRICA HEALTH MANUFACTURING PLATFORM, MINISTERIAL MEETING
Hosted by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), with engagement from the African Union (AU) Member States and the AU COVID-19 Commission, this meeting will discuss ways to better support manufacturing of health commodities in response to public health threats on the continent such as (i) the establishment of a pooled procurement mechanism; (ii) establishing mechanisms to support manufacturers with business case development; (iii) engaging in high-level advocacy within Member States, African manufacturers, key partners and other stakeholders to encourage support for the emerging African manufacturing industry; (iv) as well as ensuring a commitment to increase the demand for African produced health commodities with a political will and commitment to reach targets agreed to by the AU.
- Time: 14:30 - 16:00 CET
- Location: The Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Quai Turrettini 1, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
TOWARDS A GLOBAL HEALTH DATA GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
Hosted by Transform Health in partnership with the Ministries of Health of the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and India, this event will foster a conversation on the need for stronger health data governance and a global framework. Participants will hear from governments and other stakeholders on how this agenda can be advanced together.
- Time: 18:00 - 19:30 CET
- Location: InterContinental Hotel, 7 Chem. du Petit-Saconnex 9, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
INCREASING ACCESS TO MEDICAL OXYGEN: ACTION TO ENSURE SUSTAINED GAINS
Convened by the newly established Global Oxygen Alliance, with the support of Unitaid, WHO and PATH, this event will mark the adoption of the “Increasing Access to Medical Oxygen” World Health Assembly resolution and introduce the Global Oxygen Alliance, as two important milestones in recognizing and reaffirming the critical role of medical oxygen in building resilient health systems.
Read the WHO resolution on increasing access to medical oxygen.
- Time: 17:30 - 20:30 CET
- Location: Permanent Mission of France, Route de Pregny 36, 1292 Pregny-Chambésy, Switzerland
- RSVP is required for this invite-only event.
Thursday, May 25
MATERNITY MATTERS: HOW THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAN ADVANCE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CARE
Hosted by Devex, MSD for Mothers, and the Country Connector on Private Sector in Health, this event will explore how more collaborative engagement with local private sector providers can advance equitable access to quality maternal health care for mothers in low- and middle-income countries. Conversations will build on lessons learned from the World Health Organization’s Country Connector to uncover opportunities and challenges around partnering with private sector providers. Those unable to join in Geneva are invited to participate via livestream.
- Time: 8:00 - 9:00 CET
- Location: InterContinental Hotel, 7 Chem. du Petit-Saconnex 9, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION INSIGHTS AND LEARNINGS
Co-hosted by PATH and the Geneva Digital Health Hub, this event will bring together digital health colleagues for a series of topical panels amplifying essential learnings from digital transformation initiatives around the world. A lunch reception will follow the panels.
- Time: 10:00 - 12:00 CET
- Location: Global Health Campus, Chem. du Pommier 40, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex, Switzerland
Official WHA Statements
PATH and partners launch statement on single-dose HPV vaccination. From advancing new vaccine candidates to optimizing programmatic impact, PATH is working to increase vaccine access to protect as many girls as possible. Read the statement.
PATH joins call for stronger primary health care and self-care. PATH, as part of the Global Self-Care Federation, joins a global call to reorient health systems to primary health care and self-care as a resilient foundation for universal health coverage. Read the joint statement.
PATH's delegation attending WHA is available to speak with the media.
Send us an e-mail at media@path.org.