On behalf of HIFA, warm wishes to all HIFA members at this week's World Health Assembly. Please do share your observations: hifa@hifaforums.org
Today's agenda includes Universal health coverage. HIFA has submitted a statement that, if approved, will be delivered by HIFA steering group Meena Nathan Cherian this afternoon.
From WHO:
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Tuesday, 19 May 2026
WHA Highlights for Media
Day 2 of the 79th World Health Assembly
The Seventy-ninth session of the World Health Assembly (WHA79) continues in Geneva, Switzerland today, 19 May, and will meet in Plenary, at the Palais des Nations and Committee A, at the WHO Headquarters (HQ).
https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly/seventy-ninth
Working hours are from 09.00 to 12.00 and 14.30 to 17.30 CEST.
The public meetings will be webcast live on the WHO website. Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.
Highlights of the day:
Plenary:
Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General (Plenary)
Start of the general discussion under the theme “Reshaping global health: a shared responsibility” (Plenary)
Committee A:
Decision on the Open-ended Intergovernmental Working Group on the WHO Pandemic Agreement (A79/8, A79/8 Add.1)
Reports on public health emergencies: preparedness and response, by the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHE (A79/6) and on the implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) (A79/7, INF.2&3)
Discussion on WHO’s work in health emergencies (A79/9), Poliomyelitis (A79/5), and on humanitarian and emergency health response in Ukraine (A79/10)
Committee A will have before it decisions related to the health situation in Ukraine (A79/A/CONF./1), Iran (A79/A/CONF./2) and Lebanon (A79/A/CONF./3).
Committee on Credentials will meet at 14.0 CEST in Room XII,, Building A, Palais des Nations.
The detailed programme of work for the Health Assembly for today, 19 May can be found in Daily Journal N°2, available in six languages of the United Nations (UN).
https://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA79/JRN-A79-2_en.pdf
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HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org