25 January 2024—The WHPA continued its engagement with WHO member states on how to improve conditions for health professionals before, during and after pandemics at this year’s January meeting of the WHO’s Executive Board. The EB is the body which implements the decisions and policies of the World Health Assembly (WHA), and is composed of representatives of 34 WHO Member States. The 154th session of the EB took place on 22-27 January 2024.
The WHPA’s constituency statement highlighted the Alliance’s contributions to the emerging WHO Pandemic Agreement, which is due to be finalized at the WHA in May 2024. These contributions have seen a new clause added to the Agreement which requires parties to protect the safety of health professionals in emergencies, including priority access to PPE and preventing violence against health personnel.
However, the statement also drew member state delegates’ attention to the lack of protection of health professionals’ employment, economic and social rights in the Agreement, and the failure to require ethical international recruitment in line with WHO’s own guidelines. The WHPA will continue to advocate for these vital protections as the final negotiations on the Agreement take place in the coming months.
WHPA’s ongoing engagement with WHO pandemic preparedness and response
WHPA contributions to INB Pandemic Agreement consultations
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November 2023: WHPA demands included in latest pandemic treaty draft, but more to be done
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March 2023: WHPA members probe zero draft of future pandemic treaty
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December 2023: WHPA seeks more support for health professionals in future pandemic treaty
WHPA pandemic-related interventions in high-level WHO governance
- EB154 Constituency Statement: WHO's work in health emergencies
- WHA76 Constituency statement: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies
- EB152 Constituency Statement: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies
- EB150 Constituency Statement: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies
- Joint Statement at WHASS2: Special session of the World Health Assembly on establishing an intergovernmental process to develop a WHO pandemic agreement