GENEVA, Switzerland, May 28, 2019 (BSS) – The curtain of the 72nd World
Health Assembly came down today at Geneva, Switzerland with the renewed call to
overcome barriers to ensure universal health coverage of the mankind across
the world.
On the concluding day, the assembly adopted the reports resolutions and
decisions taken by two committees formed for this year’s session.
Dr S¡lvia Paula Valentim Lutucuta of Angola, chairperson of Committee-A,
and Dr Halvert Bernard of Netherlands, chairperson of Committee-B, presented
the reports of their respective committees.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health
Organization (WHO) officially concluded the assembly, which started on May
20.
At the assembly, Bangladesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid
Maleque addressed plenary session, SDG side event, nutrition side event,
scaling up nutrition side event, among other sessions.
Saima Wazed Hossain, Chairperson of Bangladesh National Advisory Committee
for Autism and Neurodevelopment Disorders, also took part in this year’s mega
event, addressing a technical briefing titled ‘Mental Health: Time to Scale
Up’ on the sideline of the assembly.
Member Of Parliament and Chair of IPU Advisory Group on Health, and co-
rapporteur of the IPU resolution on UHC Prof Md Habibe Millat addressed
another technical briefing.
Health Services Division Secretary Md Asadul Islam, Director General of
Health Services Professor Dr Abul Kalam Azad, Additional Secretary Habibur
Rahman, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s former adviser Syed Modasser Ali,
attended this year’s event from Bangladesh, among others.
The member states during this year’s assembly have agreed a five-year
global action plan to promote the health of refugees and migrants. The plan
focuses on achieving universal health coverage – and the highest attainable
standard of health – for refugees and migrants and for host populations.
The member states earlier agreed to adopt the eleventh revision of the
International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health
Problems (ICD-11), to come into effect on 1 January 2022.
ICD defines the universe of diseases, disorders, injuries and other
related health conditions.
WHO during the assembly also released full details of its strategy to
prevent and control snakebite envenoming, a neglected tropical disease that
affects 1.8-2.7 million people each year, claiming 81 000-138 000 lives and
causing 400 000 cases of permanent disability.
The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of WHO. It is
attended by delegations from all WHO Member States and focuses on a specific
health agenda prepared by the Executive Board.
The main functions of the World Health Assembly are to determine the
policies of the Organization, appoint the Director-General, supervise
financial policies, and review and approve the proposed programme budget. The
Health Assembly is held annually in Geneva, Switzerland.