Bhutan assumed the presidency of the World Health Assembly for the first time. Nominated as the president of the 74th World Health Assembly, Health Minister Dechen Wangmo was officially elected as the president of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland today. The World Health Assembly is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) where delegates from 194 countries attend the assembly every year to discuss the Organisation’s priorities and policies.
Bhutan became a member of the WHO in 1982.
Delivering her presidential address at the session today, Lyonpo emphasised multi-lateral cooperation and global vaccine solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19.
“The pandemic can only be controlled when everyone is vaccinated. It means that equitable access to vaccines and a comprehensive global vaccine drive is the only way forward to contain this pandemic. It is time now for the global community to come together as one to ensure that every country in the world gets sufficient doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to vaccinate every eligible citizen. We must remember that only solidarity and science, and not solitude will get us out of this pandemic,” said Lyonpo.
While this year’s World Health Assembly was supposed to be held virtually, in light of the current global COVID-19 situation, health minister Dechen Wangmo was invited to chair the assembly in person as president. A four-member delegation led by Lyonpo left the country last week.
Health Minister was nominated as the president of the 74th World Health Assembly by member states of the WHO’s Southeast Asia region last year. Lyonpo will hold the office of the president for a year. Besides chairing the assembly, Lyonpo will meet the relevant international organisations.
At the assembly, new health goals and strategies are set, and tasks are assigned to reach those goals. Delegations consider and guide policies and courses of action, which are then coordinated by the secretariat.
The week-long assembly will discuss over 70 health issues and reports on COVID-19 response and preparedness across the world.
Passang Dorji
