WHA69 Technical briefing:Migration and Health

The world has just concluded the 69th session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva which took place at the Palais des Nations, between May 23 and 28. Lebanon was represented by two delegates from the Ministry of Public health this year, the Director General, Dr Walid Ammar, and the Head of Statistics Department, Ms Hilda Harb, in addition to the delegates who joined as usual from the Permanent Mission in Geneva, HE Ambassador Najla Ryachi Assaker and Ms Rana El Khoury. Lebanon actively participated in both committees A and B deliberations and many interventions were made on behalf of the Eastern Mediterranean Region and on behalf of Lebanon concerning important public health topics like the Monitoring the achievement of the health-related MDGs, Health in the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, the operational plan to take forward the Global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ Health, promoting the health of migrants, the maternal, infant, newborn nutrition, ending childhood obesity, global vaccine action plan, International health regulations, and WHO Health emergencies program. Dr Ammar is appointed member of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee of WHO’s health emergencies program, to provide oversight and monitoring of the development and performance of the Program and to guide the Program’s activities.

In her closing remarks, Dr Margaret Chan, the WHO Director General, stated “We can do anything in the world we want to, provided we speak with a united voice”, and highlighted some main achievements of the Health Assembly, including approval of the new program for health emergencies. Other important decisions and resolutions were on WHO’s Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors; the Sustainable Development Goals; the International Health Regulations; tobacco control; road traffic deaths and injuries; nutrition; HIV, hepatitis and STIs; mycetoma; research and development; access to medicines and integrated health services.