Cuba has secured a seat on the General Committee of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), marking a significant role for the country in shaping global health policies.
The 17-member General Committee is responsible for overseeing the procedural operations of the Assembly, including agenda setting and facilitating discussions on key issues affecting international health.
The announcement comes as the 78th World Health Assembly opened on Monday at WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. As part of the Assembly’s opening events, the Cuban delegation met with WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss ongoing and future collaborations.
Cuba’s Minister of Public Health, Dr. José Ángel Portal, is leading the delegation and has already engaged in several bilateral meetings. On the first day of the Assembly, Dr. Portal signed a Memorandum of Understanding on healthcare cooperation with Oman’s Minister of Health, Dr. Hilal bin Ali bin Hilal Al Sabti.
His itinerary also included visits to the GAVI Vaccine Alliance headquarters, where discussions focused on vaccine-related initiatives, and a meeting with executives from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
This year’s Assembly will run through May 27 and is expected to adopt more than 40 resolutions. High on the agenda is the anticipated Treaty on Future Pandemics, along with global health priorities such as the eradication of cervical cancer, lung and kidney health, rare diseases, diagnostic imaging, skin disorders, traditional medicine, lead exposure, and sustainable health financing.
