WHA Ends With Multiple Resolutions, WHO DG Stressing Caution On Emerging Disease

“After seven days of intense discussions, the [World Health Assembly (WHA)] concluded with agreement on a range of new public health measures and recommendations aimed at securing greater health benefits for all people, everywhere,” RTT News reports. The WHO governing body approved 24 resolutions and five decisions, including “a budget for the next two years, and a high-level vision for the next six years,” the news service notes (5/28). “Addressing participants at the closing ceremony, WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan … sounded an alarm on a new threat that she warned requires urgent international attention,” a WHO press release states, noting she was speaking of the novel coronavirus, or MERS, outbreak in Saudi Arabia that has spread to other countries in the region and Europe. Chan said, “The novel coronavirus is not a problem that any single affected country can keep to itself or manage all by itself. The novel coronavirus is a threat to the entire world,” according to the press release. The press release also describes the key outputs of the WHA (5/27). Intellectual Property Watch published several articles on discussions and outcomes at the meeting (5/28).

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