WHO looks back at 2024
A year of health highlights, breakthroughs and challenges
On 16 September 2024, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was in Chad,where alongside Minister of Health Abdel-Madjid Abderahim, he visited the border town Adré, where Sudanese people are seeking refugee from both conflict and hunger.
Strengthening global health security
Member States successfully concluded negotiations on a package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), and made concrete commitments to finish negotiations on a global pandemic agreement. The goal of both important initiatives is to ensure that robust systems are in place in all countries to protect the health and safety of all people from the risk of future outbreaks and pandemics.
The new IHR amendments include a definition of a pandemic emergency to trigger more effective international collaboration; a commitment to solidarity and equity on strengthening access to medical products and financing, including the establishment of a Coordinating Financial Mechanism; a States Parties Committee to facilitate the effective implementation of the amended Regulations; and National IHR Authorities to improve coordination of implementation of the Regulations within and among countries.
WHO’s Member States came to a consensus on the need for an instrument, in addition to the IHR, to help the world better fight a pandemic; therefore, they agreed to continue negotiating the proposed Pandemic Agreement by extending the mandate of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body until the World Health Assembly in 2025, or earlier, at a special session of the Health Assembly in 2024. There is an urgent need to improve international coordination, collaboration and equity to prevent, prepare for and respond to future pandemics.
WHO responded to numerous health emergencies throughout 2024, from Gaza to Sudan to the mpox public health emergency of international concern.
An overview of ongoing health crises will be published in the coming weeks, as part of the WHO Health Emergency Appeal 2025.