The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has called for renewed global cooperation and sustained investment in public health as the WHO’s Executive Board opened its 158th session in Geneva.
Speaking during a live-streamed address, Dr Tedros warned that the world remains dangerously unprepared for future health emergencies, even as attention shifts away from the lessons of recent crises. He stressed that pandemics, climate-related health risks, antimicrobial resistance and fragile health systems continue to pose serious threats, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Dr Tedros also highlighted ongoing funding pressures facing the organisation, urging member states to back reforms aimed at making WHO financing more predictable and less dependent on earmarked donations. According to him, stable funding is critical if the agency is to respond quickly and independently to global health threats.The Executive Board session brings together representatives from 34 member states and will run for several days, focusing on issues including universal health coverage, emergency preparedness, non-communicable diseases, workforce shortages and digital health.
The meeting is expected to set the tone for policy decisions and resolutions that will be presented at the World Health Assembly later this year. Observers say the discussions come at a pivotal moment, as governments balance economic pressures with rising health demands worldwide.