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MEDIA ADVISORY

Special session of WHA to consider global agreement to prevent and respond to future pandemics

WHO Member States will gather for a special session of the World Health Assembly on 29 November to 1 December to consider the need for developing an international instrument to better prepare for and prevent future pandemic threats.

Member States will consider one agenda item during the special session - the second such meeting in its history - namely the need for a WHO convention, agreement or other international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response with a view towards the establishment of an international process to draft and negotiate such a convention taking into account the report of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies.

The goals of such an instrument would be to enable the world to act collectively for prevention, preparedness and response to the next pandemic, ensure equitable access to pandemic countermeasures and support global coordination through a global public health governance and reinforce the role of WHO. WHO Member States will meet to consider the process and timeline for the negotiation of the new WHO instrument.

The sessions will be public and webcast on this page and other WHO channels: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/11/29/default-calendar/second-special-session-of-the-world-health-assembly
Related links:
The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the decision-making body of WHO, attended by delegations from all WHO Member States. 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 WHA open sessions are webcast here: https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2021/11/29/default-calendar/second-special-session-of-the-world-health-assembly

WHASS Agenda and all documents: https://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_whassa2.html

Media contacts:
mediainquiries@who.int

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