WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the commitment shown by the Organization’s Member States which, during nearly two weeks of meetings, adopted historic measures to make the world safer and healthier.The landmark adoptions of the first global agreement to make the world safer from future pandemics and increase in financial support to the World Health Organization were the highlights of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, which ran from 19–27 May. Immediately after, the WHO Executive Board met for two days, until 29 May, to address the Health Assembly’s outcome, WHO governance reform and the nomination and appointment of regional directors. Dr Tedros said Member States demonstrated their commitment to WHO and multilateral action to protect and promote public health. “WHO and many of our Member States and health partners are facing various challenges,” he said. “But the World Health Assembly has sent a clear message: countries want a strong WHO and are committed to working together with WHO to build a healthier, safer and fairer world. These were strong votes of confidence in WHO at this critical time.” Making the world safer from pandemics“The Health Assembly’s adoption of the Pandemic Agreement on 20 May was a landmark in the history of WHO and global health,” said Dr Tedros. “Despite many obstacles, and in the face of significant mis- and disinformation, WHO’s Member States have succeeded in negotiating and adopting a legally binding agreement to make the world safer from pandemics.”The Pandemic Agreement sets out a range of measures to prevent pandemics and strengthen health system resilience, including through improving the rapid sharing of pathogens; ensuring fair, equitable and timely access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics; and strengthening technology transfer, financing and supply chains. Dr Tedros said adoption of the Pandemic Agreement was not the end of the journey, adding that Member States still must negotiate the annex on pathogen access and benefit sharing for adoption at an upcoming Health Assembly. The next step would be for 60 countries to ratify the agreement, including the annex, before it enters into force as an instrument of international law.“But having watched this process over the past three and a half years, I am confident of two things,” the WHO Director-General said. “First, that Member States will finish the job by May next year (2026), as they have committed to doing; and second, that the deception and distortion will continue.”In particular, Dr Tedros said while it has been widely acknowledged that the Pandemic Agreement will not infringe on national sovereignty, some quarters will continue to repeat the false claims.“Let me be clear once again: the Pandemic Agreement will not infringe on national sovereignty, period. And the Pandemic Agreement does not give WHO any powers, period,” Dr Tedros said. “WHO’s job is to make recommendations to governments, but what governments do with those recommendations is entirely up to them. WHO is not even a party to the Agreement. This is an agreement between sovereign nations, and it will be ratified and implemented by sovereign nations that choose to do so. The intentional distortion of the Pandemic Agreement as ceding power to WHO must stop.”Assessed contributions increase The Assembly’s other major outcome was the approval of WHO’s 2026–27 Programme Budget, including the next 20% increase in assessed contributions, adding US$ 90 million in fully predictable and flexible funds to WHO’s income each year. In 2022, Member States agreed to increase assessed contributions progressively to 50% of our base budget, from just 16% at the time. This rise is the cornerstone of WHO’s transformation of its approach to sustainable financing by diversifying its donor base and receiving increased support from all of its Member States towards WHO’s core budget and programme of work. “This is another major step towards making WHO less dependent on earmarked voluntary funds from a handful of traditional donors,” said Dr Tedros. “WHO also held a pledging event at which Member States and philanthropic donors committed at least US$ 210 million in additional funding to the WHO Investment Round.”In addition to these two major achievements, the Health Assembly also celebrated several countries for eliminating diseases, and eliminating industrial trans-fat from their manufactured food supplies. WHO Member States also adopted several important resolutions, reflecting WHO’s vast mission and mandate, including a new target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040; new targets for nutrition in mothers and young children; to strengthen regulation of digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods; and a new global strategy for traditional medicine.Countries for the first time also adopted resolutions on lung health and kidney health, and for a lead-free future, and established World Cervical Cancer Day and World Prematurity Day as official WHO health campaigns. Resolutions on digital health, Guinea worm disease, health financing, the health and care workforce, medical imaging, nursing and midwifery, rare diseases, sensory impairment, skin diseases, social connection and more were also adopted.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its first-ever position paper on immunization products to protect infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally. Every year, RSV causes about 100 000 deaths and over 3.6 million hospitalizations in children under the age of 5 years worldwide. About half of these deaths occur in infants younger than 6 months of age. The vast majority (97%) of RSV deaths in infants occur in low- and middle-income countries where there is limited access to supportive medical care, such as oxygen or hydration.Published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER), the position paper outlines WHO recommendations for two immunization products: a maternal vaccine that can be given to pregnant women in their third trimester to protect their infant and a long-acting monoclonal antibody that can be administered to infants from birth, just before or during the RSV season.“RSV is an incredibly infectious virus that infects people of all ages, but is especially harmful to infants, particularly those born premature, when they are most vulnerable to severe disease,” says Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals at WHO. “The WHO-recommended RSV immunization products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalizations, and deaths, ultimately saving many infant lives globally.”RSV usually causes mild symptoms similar to the common cold, including runny nose, cough and fever. However, it can lead to serious complications – including pneumonia and bronchiolitis – in infants, young children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions.Two immunization products to protect against RSVIn response to the global burden of severe RSV disease among infants, WHO recommends that all countries introduce either the maternal vaccine, RSVpreF, or the monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab depending on the feasibility of implementation within each country’s existing health system, cost-effectiveness and anticipated coverage. Both products were recommended by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) for global implementation in September 2024. In addition, the maternal vaccine received WHO prequalification in March 2025, allowing it to be purchased by UN agencies.WHO recommends that the maternal vaccine be given to pregnant women during the third trimester of pregnancy, from week 28 onwards, to optimize for the adequate transfer of antibodies to their baby. The vaccine may be given during routine antenatal care, including at one of the 5 WHO-recommended antenatal care visits in the third trimester or any additional medical consultations.The second WHO-recommended immunization product, nirsevimab, is given as a single injection of monoclonal antibodies that starts protecting babies against RSV within a week of administration and lasts for at least 5 months, which can cover the entire RSV season in countries with RSV seasonality. WHO recommends that infants receive a single dose of nirsevimab right after birth or before being discharged from a birthing facility. If not administered at birth, the monoclonal antibody can be given during the baby's first health visit. If a country decides to administer the product only during the RSV season rather than year-round, a single dose can also be given to older infants just before entering their first RSV season. The greatest impact on severe RSV disease will be achieved by administering the monoclonal antibody to infants under 6 months of age. However, there is still a potential benefit among infants up to 12 months of age.WHO regularly issues updated position papers on vaccines, combinations of vaccines and other immunization products against diseases that have major public health impact. These papers focus primarily on the use of vaccines in large-scale vaccination programmes. The new position paper aims to inform national public health policymakers and immunization programme managers on the use of RSV immunization products in their national programmes, as well as national and international funding agencies. 

On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launches a new publication and calls on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease.Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them.“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”The publication, Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.Currently:over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco;more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; 5 specifically ban disposables and 7 ban e-cigarette flavours; andflavour accessories remain largely unregulated.Countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are taking action, and WHO urges others to follow.Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people.“We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech.With around 8 million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action is now. Flavours, and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future. Information sheetsThe role of flavours in increasing the appeal of tobacco, nicotine and related productsFlavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appealUnderstanding the design features of tobacco, nicotine and related products and their possible effectsManipulation and marketing strategies used by tobacco and nicotine industries to promote their products 

The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom announced today the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent. Africa experiences more disease outbreaks than any other part of the world. While significant progress has been made in strengthening disease surveillance over the past decade, no country can tackle today’s complex health threats alone.The Health Security Partnership strengthens disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence across the African continent, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats - whether they are natural, accidental or deliberate. Launched in 2023 in six countries, The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia, the partnership will expand to Rwanda in its second phase which runs from 2025 to 2028.At the heart of the initiative is a collaborative surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally. HSPA is aligned with the health security objectives of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa (SIMBA).“HSPA represents an important step forward in building stronger partnerships for health security in Africa. By bringing together global, regional and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening Collaborative Surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action. WHO remains committed to working alongside Member States to ensure that these collective efforts are well-coordinated, responsive, and rooted in national priorities,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa; Deputy Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme.The partnership is supporting countries to strengthen capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance and epidemic intelligence. This is achieved through training, guidance development, co-creation of implementation roadmaps, and hands-on technical assistance to ensure that implementation is aligned with country priorities, embedded within broader national systems, and built for long-term sustainability.“Within the framework of this project, Africa CDC will work with the Member States in mobilizing political will for biosecurity and surveillance, establishing regional frameworks for bio-surveillance of high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and coordinating event-based surveillance. The collaboration with other partners and coordination with Member States is crucial especially in the current context of limited resources to strengthen the continent's capacity for early detection, response, and management of biological threats,” said Dr Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC.The HSPA initiative has been supported from the start by the Government of Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program, with additional funding in phase two from the Government of the United Kingdom.Building on the achievements in phase one, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, will accelerate implementation to build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa. Editor's noteOn 29 May 2025, a correction was made to this news release, both in the headline and the main text, to reflect the joint announcement of the HSPA expansion with the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom, and to acknowledge HSPA’s alignment with the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa (SIMBA). 

The  Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78), the annual meeting of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Member States, came to a close Tuesday, as health leaders lauded vast accomplishments and global solidarity.The Assembly, WHO’s highest decision-making body, convened from 19 May to 27 May, under the theme “One World for Health”. Member States considered approximately 75 items and sub-items across all areas of health, engaging in lively debate and adopting consequential resolutions to improve health for all.“The words ‘historic’ and ‘landmark’ are overused, but they are perfectly apt to describe this year’s World Health Assembly,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The adoption of the Pandemic Agreement and the approval of the next increase in assessed contributions, along with the numerous other resolutions that Member States adopted are a sign to the world that we can achieve cooperation in the face of conflict, and unity amid division.”World’s first pandemic agreement: equity for allOn 20 May, Member States adopted the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement. The moment was met with heartfelt applause, celebrating over three years of intense negotiations by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, comprising WHO’s Member States.The adoption of the Agreement is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard the world from a repeat of the suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Agreement aims to enhance global coordination and cooperation, equity and access for future pandemics, all while respecting national sovereignty.Over the next year, Member States will build on the Resolution, by holding consultations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), an annex to the Agreement which would enhance equitable access to medical advancements.Sustainable financing: protecting the future of global healthIn a changing financial landscape, Member States united to protect WHO’s critical work by approving the second 20% increase in assessed contributions (ACs). By 2030–2031, ACs will make up 50% of WHO’s core budget, providing more predictable, resilient, and flexible funding.The Assembly’s commitment to sustainable financing did not stop there; at a high-level pledging event during WHA78, health leaders pledged at least US$ 210 million for WHO’s Investment Round, the fundraising campaign for the Organization’s global health strategy for the next four years (the Fourteenth  General Programme of Work). In addition to the US$ 1.7 billion already raised for the Investment Round, these pledges mark a significant step toward sustainable financing of WHO. Since launching in May 2024, the Investment Round has attracted 35 new contributors – moving WHO closer to the broader donor base envisioned in the Director-General’s ongoing transformation agenda.Action for health: major decisions and resolutionsWHA 78 was steadfast in addressing ongoing health issues and adaptable in targeting threats and conflicts. The accomplishments of the Assembly spanned many areas of health as Member States adopted a new resolution highlighting the global health financing emergency; endorsed first-ever resolutions on lung and kidney health, highlighting the upcoming UN General Assembly focus on noncommunicable diseases; adopted a new resolution on science-driven norms and standards for health policy and implementation; adopted a new target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040; adopted an innovative resolution to promote social connection with growing evidence linking it to improved health outcomes and reduced risk of early death; adopted a resolution for a lead-free future; adopted a resolution to address rare diseases, protecting the over 300 million people globally who live with one of more than 7000 rare diseases; agreed to expand the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes to tackle the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods; adopted a resolution to accelerate the eradication of Guinea worm disease.The Assembly adopted other resolutions on digital health, the health and care workforce, medical imaging, nursing and midwifery, sensory impairment, and skin diseases, among others. Two new official WHO health campaigns were established: World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day and World Prematurity Day.Strengthening health emergency preparedness and responseThe World Health Assembly also discussed WHO’s work in health emergencies. Over the last year, WHO responded internationally to 51 graded emergencies across 89 countries and territories, including global outbreaks of cholera and mpox – a public health emergency of international concern – as well as multiple humanitarian crises. Working with over 900 partners across 28 health clusters, WHO helped provide health assistance for 72 million people in humanitarian settings. Nearly 60% of new emergencies were climate-related, highlighting the growing health impacts of climate change.During the Assembly, Member Statesconsidered matters pertaining to WHO’s work in health emergencies and commended the Organization’s leadership in this space; noted the Director-General’s report on implementation of the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework and expressed their support for the strengthening of the global architecture; considered the health needs of people in Ukraine and the occupied Palestinian territory; noted the Director-General’s report on progress made in implementing the International Health Regulations (2005); and approved a resolution to strengthen the research base on public health and social measures to control outbreaks. Note to editorsOn 28 May 2025 a small change was made on the final bullet point of this news release, from "approved a decision to strengthen" to "approved a resolution to strengthen".