PATH to join world leaders at 71st World Health Assembly to contribute expertise to the “health for all” agenda
Media contact: Kate Davidson | media@path.org
PATH will join global health leaders next week in Geneva for the 71st World Health Assembly (WHA), where World Health Organization (WHO) Member State delegations will meet to determine WHO priorities, supervise financial policies, and approve the proposed program budget.
This year’s WHA comes at a critical moment for WHO, under new leadership and in a year where we are facing many challenges but also seeing great momentum toward our shared goal of health for all.
With 40 years of experience collaborating with WHO and advancing health equity through innovation, PATH looks forward to contributing our perspectives to help shape the global agenda, especially on how we harness new technology to accelerate access to primary care, strengthen our ability to fight emerging threats without losing sight of the enduring health challenges people face around the world, and help people and communities not only survive, but thrive.
PATH leaders are slated to deliver remarks at Assembly Committee meetings and to lend their expertise to several events on the formal agenda, as well as key side events. Key events where you will find PATH leaders include:
May 21:
Accelerating Progress: Planning, Prioritization, and Partnerships to Advance Global Health Security
From infectious disease outbreaks to the growing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, protecting against emerging health threats is a significant challenge to countries today. The Global Health Security Agenda has played a historic role in mobilizing political capital and partners around this critical issue. As countries complete their respective Joint External Evaluations (JEEs), the real test becomes translating gaps into country plans, setting priorities, and securing resources to address these needs. With that goal in mind, PATH has joined the Global Health Security Agenda Private Sector Roundtable, Resolve to Save Lives and World Bank Group, to sponsor a lunch event focused on driving actionable commitments. PATH President and CEO Steve Davis will join representatives from a diverse range of national governments, multilateral organizations, implementing agencies, and the private sector to discuss how they can work collaboratively to address gaps identified by JEEs to help countries better prevent, detect, and respond to emerging health threats.
Getting Local with Global Health Security A Pathway Toward Sustainable Action
Protecting the world from infectious disease threats requires national governments to share the responsibility of serving those most in need. But how do countries prioritize their investments in a rapidly changing world? PATH joins a range of partners in co-sponsoring this important discussion on how investments in global health security strengthen public health systems, promote universal health coverage, and drive economic growth and local research and development. This event will outline the best case for investment in health security, explore how to scale up innovative programming, and provide recommendations on increasing country ownership and domestic buy-in for health security. Those not attending WHA can listen in via live webcast.
May 22:
PATH is co-sponsoring this official side event to foster dialogue and build consensus among Member State delegates, World Health Organization (WHO) officials, and civil society organization (CSO) representatives around how civil society can best contribute—in partnership with WHO and governments at all levels and within varying contexts—to delivering the goal of health for all. The event will build momentum behind enhanced civil society engagement in pursuit of the “triple billion” targets outlined in WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work, in coordination with WHO, Member States, and other health and development partners. It will also feature preliminary findings of the joint Task Team on Civil Society Organization (CSO) Development Effectiveness and Enabling Environment, commissioned by Dr. Tedros. PATH President and CEO Steve Davis will participate as a panelist, lending PATH’s expertise from decades of partnership with WHO.
May 23:
Medicines We Can Trust: A Call to Safeguard Quality
Around the world, at least one in ten medicines is substandard or falsified, harming patients, costing economies billions, and undermining trust in health systems. To discuss this challenge and advance solutions, PATH will join a host of partners in co-sponsoring this event to explore: widespread consequences of substandard and falsified medicines for people and communities everywhere; connections between poor-quality medicines and global health security, antimicrobial resistance, non-communicable diseases, universal health care, and access to medicines; solutions and countries leading the way; and the role everyone can play in the road ahead.
Launch of the Framework on Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development
Around the world, more children are surviving than ever before. Yet many are not thriving to reach their full potential. That is why World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are launching the Framework on Nurturing Care for Early Childhood Development. Developed by WHO, the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (PMNCH), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Bank Group, and Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN), with contributions from implementing organizations like PATH, the Framework builds on existing evidence and serves as a roadmap for governments to scale up early childhood development (ECD) interventions, with particular emphasis on the critical window in a child’s development before age three. This event will launch the Framework and encourage concrete commitments for how partners from across sectors can come together to support governments to take it forward. Since 2011, PATH has been at the forefront of a movement to integrate nurturing care and ECD services into existing health systems. Steve Davis will join leaders in officially launching the Framework and share lessons learned from our work in countries like Mozambique, Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, and Cote d’Ivoire.
About PATH
PATH is the leader in global health innovation. An international nonprofit organization, we save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health. Learn more at www.path.org.