What to Look Out For at #WHA71
By Johanna Ralston, World Obesity Federation and Mychelle Farmer, NCD Child
This month marks 70 years since the World Health Organization was launched and 40 years since governments committed to the right to health at Alma-Ata. It’s also the first World Health Assembly under new Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, who aims to carry forward the principles of WHO and Alma-Ata amidst outbreaks, uncertainties, and a few bright spots as well.
Here are five hot topics to focus on.
1. Pandemic Preparedness
Following the 2014 Ebola outbreak that took more than 11,000 lives, it was impressive and deeply reassuring to see Dr. Tedros travel immediately to the DRC to direct attention and effort towards halting the most recent outbreak. With the WHO mobilizing quickly, offering an effective vaccine, applying lessons learned from previous outbreaks, and committing to stronger health systems in the universal health coverage (UHC) agenda, there is hope that the spread of the deadly Ebola virus will be stopped quickly and decisively.
2. Universal Health Coverage
With drug resistance complicating the effort to tackle old foes like malaria and tuberculosis, combined with outbreaks and the rise in NCDs, the movement for “health for all” first promised at Alma-Ata has never been more relevant. Dr. Tedros has committed to an ambitious “triple billion” plan to ensure one billion more people benefit from UHC, one billion more people are protected from health emergencies and one billion more people enjoy better health and well-being. Translating these bold promises into country level commitments that deliver quality health services to people everywhere, without driving them into financial hardship, is ultimately how the global health community will be collectively judged.
3. The Biggest Killers
Cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and lung diseases, collectively known as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), are now the biggest killers across the globe. Increasingly powered by an epidemic of overweight and obesity, NCDs are placing enormous pressure on already fragile health systems. In response Dr. Tedros convened the WHO’s Independent High-Level Commission on NCDs, co-chaired by Dr. Sania Nishtar and political leaders.
The commission has been challenged to come up with bold new ideas, and discussion at WHA will be focused on game-changing recommendations that should be proposed. Though there have been commitments made for some time to truly tackle NCDs, political discourse is still not translating into action and resources. Now it is time for a change in how we address the challenge. People living with NCDs, who are too often marginalized and rarely invited to the top tables at places like WHO where commitments are made, must take their rightful role at the centre of the agenda. This especially includes adolescents and young people who are at great risk of NCDs at far younger ages than in the past, thanks largely to lack of political will to address conflicts with health harming industries and neglect within health systems.
The good news is there is hope that this will be the year for action on NCDs, and UHC provides one important channel for political support. With people affected by NCDs at the forefront, donors and countries can no longer delay committing resources to prevention and treatment to bend the curve of these diseases.
4. Access to Medicines
A key element that UHC seeks to address is the cost of medicines, a major issue across low-, middle- and high-income countries. Member states will be discussing how to both ensure that there is new innovation to tackle rising pathogens and major killers like obesity, cancer and AMR, and also to ensure that such innovations and other medicines are accessible to the poorest and most marginalized.
Many children and adolescents living with NCDs and other conditions lack access to appropriate medicines. If member states can’t move the debate forward, access to medicines including pediatric formulations, vaccines and diagnostics will remain out of reach for those that need them most and health for all will continue to be the great unrealized vision.
5. Polio Transition
The last mile of eradication of polio was always going to be a challenge. With only two countries, Afghanistan and Pakistan, recording cases this year, the world has never been closer to achieving it, but as long as there is still polio anywhere, everyone remains at risk. In addition to finishing the disease off, it’s critical that we build a great polio legacy where the skills, experience and infrastructure that have led to eradication go into driving progress in other areas including UHC. To do this, member states will have to develop national plans that will have to be well-funded, or we risk letting the extraordinary gains made during the polio era go to waste.
Looking Ahead
With Ebola in the DRC again highlighting that the world’s health system is only as strong as its weakest element, NCDs are highlighting that a movement without affected people, including young people, at its center will continue to struggle. UHC offers a remedy to many of global health’s most pressing challenges, and this year’s WHA has the potential to shape the agenda for decades to come.
Johanna Ralston is the CEO of the World Obesity Federation and Executive in Residence at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.
Mychelle Farmer is the chair of NCD Child.
