THE Philippines is set to serve as president of the World Health Assembly (WHA), which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland in May 2025, the Department of Health said yesterday.
The Philippines was nominated by members of the World Health Organization’s Western Pacific Regional Office as next president of the WHA, according to the DOH.
It said the Assembly held annually in Geneva, is the highest decision-making body of the WHO. It is attended by delegations from all 194 WHO member states, 37 countries and areas of which are in the Western Pacific.
The main functions of the WHA are to determine the policies of the organization, appoint the director general, supervise financial policies, and review and approve the proposed program budget.
“This nomination is historic as it is the first time that the Philippines will be the president of the prestigious Health Assembly since the WHO was founded in 1948,” the DOH said in a statement.
It said WHO member-states traditionally elect the president via rotation from each of the six WHO regions, namely Western Pacific, South East Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe, and Eastern Mediterranean.
For WHA’s 78th session, the President will come from the Western Pacific, said the DOH. The last time the WHA president came from the Western Pacific was in 2019, with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic holding the post.
“The presidency of the WHA runs for the duration of the assembly itself until a new president is elected the following year from the WHO Region of the Americas,” the DOH said.
The WHA president oversees the conduct of the Assembly and guides it in its critical discussions and decisions on global health policies and initiatives.
The president is also empowered to appoint the five vice presidents to act in its place during meetings or parts thereof.
According to Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, the nomination of the Philippines comes at a pivotal time, as the country is pursuing numerous health initiatives on the global stage aimed at strengthening the health workforce to address gaps in healthcare delivery, championing the implementation of the Universal Health Care), and leadership in global tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and patient safety initiatives.
“These pursuits align with the country’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to essential health services and improving health outcomes for all. Through its leadership, the Philippines aims to further emphasize the importance of resilient health systems and international cooperation in the face of global health challenges,” said Herbosa.
“Filipinos are recognized as bridge-builders in the international community. Our nomination by the Western Pacific member states as WHA78 president is a recognition of our collective contribution and leadership in international health,” he added.
Herbosa noted the Philippines hosts the WHO Regional Office in the Western Pacific, and is also a founding member of the WHO.
