📋 Tender Overview
The resumed 73rd World Health Assembly WHA73 opened to the tune of the classic hit song We are Family by Sister Sledge the Kingdom of Tonga Nurses Choir and a powerful speech by the WHO Director-General calling for predictable and sustainable WHO funding the launch of a Universal Health and Preparedness Review and the need to reimagine global leadership and forge a new era of cooperation reflecting the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr Tedros called on Member States to address the shocking and expanding imbalance between assessed contributions and voluntary largely earmarked funds observing that WHOs annual budget is equivalent to what the world spends on tobacco products in a single day.He warned that a vaccine cannot address the global under-investment in essential public health functions and resilient health systems nor the urgent need for a One Health approach that encompasses the health of humans animals and the planet we share. There is no vaccine for poverty hunger climate change or inequality.He called for leadership built on mutual trust and mutual accountability to end the pandemic and address the fundamental inequalities that lie at the root of so many of the worlds problems.Its time for the world to heal from the ravages of this pandemic and the geopolitical divisions that only drive us further into the chasm of an unhealthier un-safer and unfairer future he said. Today and every day we must choose health. Were one big family.Dr Michael Ryan Executive Director WHO Health Emergencies Programme WHE gave an epidemiological update on the COVID-19 pandemic noting the grim milestone of 50 million cases globally.The Chair of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme IOAC Dr Felicity Harvey presented the IOAC report which makes several recommendations and concludes that Over the last four years the WHE Programme has demonstrated its capacity to manage multiple emergencies and has helped affirm WHOs position as a global health leader but the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the challenges faced by WHO in handling a global pandemic into stark relief and has placed the WHE Programme under global public scrutiny.The Chair of the Review Committee on the functioning of the International Health Regulations 2005 during COVID-19 response Professor Lothar H. Wieler President of the Robert Koch Institute Germany provided an update on the work of the Committee and its preliminary findings.Senior Advisor to the Director-General Dr Bruce Aylward briefed Member States on the progress of the Access to COVID-19 Tools ACT Accelerator noting key achievements with regard to rapid tests life-saving treatments and the COVAX Facility with its equitable allocation framework.He remarked that access to these critical tools differs widely across countries and could worsen without urgent action to close the ACT-Accelerators US4.5 billion financing gap.The WHO Director-Generals Health Leaders Award for outstanding leadership in global health was awarded to Her Royal Highness Princess Muna Al-Hussein of Jordan and the Kingdom of Tongas Nurses Choir.The WHA73 considered a proposal for a supplementary agenda item entitled Inviting Taiwan to participate in the World Health Assembly as an observer.The proposal was considered in accordance with an agreed process for a structured debate known as a two plus two arrangement. Following this process the WHA73 decided not to include this item on its agenda.This is the 15th time since 1997 that such a proposal has been submitted.In line with an analogous decision of the UN General Assembly the World Health Assembly though resolution WHA 25.1 of 1972 decided to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the World Health Organization . This decision still applies 48 years later.Although the question of Taiwanese membership in WHO and its participation in the World Health Assembly remains a question for Member States WHO works with all health authorities who are facing the current coronavirus pandemic including Taiwanese health experts.
