Yesterday marked the end of the first World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board meeting of the year. For those unfamiliar, the Executive Board is considered one of the most influential decision-making bodies in WHO, superseded only by the World Health Assembly. This year, the Board dealt with an extensive agenda that spanned across the vast landscape of WHO’s responsibilities, including emergencies, universal health coverage, medical devices, air pollution, polio, meningitis, cervical cancer, and more.
In order to facilitate WHO’s global initiatives, the Board recommended the Health Assembly to approve the Programme Budget for 2026 and 2027. The Board further advised the Health Assembly to consent to the next 20% increase in assessed contributions, essentially the membership fees paid by countries. Witnessed in 2022, the Member States had mutually agreed to progressively increment assessed contributions from 16% of the base budget to 50%. The rise sanctioned this week by the Board constitutes the subsequent stride towards that goal, positioning WHO on a more sustainable financial trajectory.
Moving onto the current health predicaments across the globe, there’s an alarming outbreak of Ebola in Uganda. To this date, the Ugandan government has reported nine confirmed cases, which includes one fatality. Over 260 contacts have been identified and have been placed under rigorous observation. We extend our gratitude towards the Ugandan Government for its outstanding leadership and partnership during these trying times. WHO, supporting the government’s response, has been engaged in providing surge support for surveillance, laboratory operations, logistics, infection prevention and hospital control, treatment centres, and research right on the ground.
It’s worth noting that there are no authorised vaccines or therapeutics for the lethal Ebola virus responsible for this outbreak. However, owing to the commendable preparedness measures taken post the previous outbreak, and a global research collaboration masterminded by WHO, we were successful in initiating a trial for the potential vaccine four days post the outbreak declaration.
Subsequently, we shift our gaze towards the recent swell in violence in the eastern regions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo which has led to serious fatalities, injuries, displacement, and the annihilation of crucial health infrastructure. At most, only a third of individuals needing health services in North and South Kivu receive them. Hospitals are overextended and morgues are flooded. Amidst this chaos, WHO sustains its operations on the ground, working towards providing the best immediate relief possible.
WHO has made significant strides in combating the healthcare emergencies in Uganda, DRC, Gaza, Sudan, supported to a large degree by funding from the United States. We regret the announcement of the United States’ intent to withdraw from WHO as we believe in constructive dialogue.
Lastly, addressing the daunting global cancer scenario, an estimated 400,000 children worldwide develop the disease each year, making the global initiative established by WHO in collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States and several partners, a necessity in our efforts to save lives. Yesterday, we commenced distributing free childhood cancer medicines in Mongolia and Uzbekistan, with plans for additional shipments to Ecuador, Jordan, Nepal and Zambia.