The 67th World Health Assembly (WHA) annual international meeting concluded recently after adopting more than 20 resolutions on public health issues of global importance.

The WHA is the supreme decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). It is attended annually by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.

The WHA was held  Geneva, Switzerland from May 19 to 24, 2014.

“This has been an intense Health Assembly, with a record-breaking number of agenda items, documents and resolutions, and nearly 3,500 registered delegates,” said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO’s Director-General. “This is a reflection of the growing number of complexity of health issues, and your deep interest in addressing them.”

A number of the Health Assembly resolutions were approved during the 6-day meeting on the following issues.

  • Antimicrobial drug resistance;
  • International Health Regulations on yellow fever;
  • Public health impacts of exposure to mercury and mercury compounds;
  • The global challenge of violence, in particular against women and girls;
  • Renewed commitments towards universal health coverage;
  • Access to essential medicines;
  • Regulatory system strengthening;
  • Health intervention and technology assessment in support of universal health coverage;
  • Newborn health.