Journal No. 1 24 May 2021
This preliminary journal is intended to give delegates, representatives and other participants advance indications of the Health Assembly’s programme of work. Additional information can be found in the Guide for delegates to the World Health Assembly (document A74/DIV./2)
The Journal does not constitute an official record of the Health Assembly’s proceedings. The Journal is published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish on every working day during the Health Assembly.
N° 1 Programme of meetings for Monday, 24 May 2021
Time |
Plenary |
Committee A |
Others |
10:00 |
High-level welcome |
|
|
Immediately after conclusion of the High-level welcome |
First Plenary meeting |
|
|
Immediately after conclusion of Item 1.3 in Plenary |
|
|
General Committee |
14:00 |
Second Plenary meeting |
|
|
Upon commencement of the General discussion |
|
First meeting |
|
Table of contents
1. Date and working hours
2. Programme of work of the Health Assembly
3. Strategic briefings
4. Arrangements for conduct of discussion in meetings
5. Announcements
6. Provisional list of speakers for the general discussion in Plenary
Interpretation
Interpretation will be provided in the official languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) to help delegates to follow the discussions. Delegates are requested to speak clearly and at a normal speaking pace to enable clear and accurate interpretation through the virtual platform. Copies of all statements should be submitted at least one hour in advance by email to interpret@who.int. Clearly indicate the name of the country delegation/group in the subject line of the email.
Note: a statement of three minutes at normal speaking pace is equivalent to approximately 330 words.
1. Date and working hours
The Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly will open on Monday, 24 May 2021 at 10:00. The working hours of the Health Assembly are from 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 (CEST).
The Health Assembly will close no later than Tuesday, 1 June 2021, as decided by the Executive Board at its 148th session.
2. Programme of work of the Health Assembly
Monday, 24 May 2021
10:00
High-level welcome[1]
First Plenary meeting
Item 1
Opening of the Health Assembly
– Document A74/45
Item 1.1
Appointment of the Committee on Credentials
Item 1.2
Election of the President of the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly
Item 1.3
Election of the five Vice-Presidents, the Chairs of the main committees, and establishment of the General Committee of the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly
General Committee[2]
Immediately after conclusion of Item 1.3 in Plenary
Examination and submission to the Health Assembly of recommendations on such questions as:
– Adoption of the provisional agenda as proposed by the Executive Board
– Addition of supplementary items, if any, to the provisional agenda
– Initial allocation to the main committees of items of the agenda
– Deferment of any item to a future Health Assembly
– Programme of work of the Health Assembly
Second Plenary meeting
14:00
– Presidential address
Item 1.4
Adoption of the agenda and allocation of items to the main committees
– Documents A74/1, A74/1 Add.1, A74/45 and A74/INF./6
Item 2
Report of the Executive Board on its 147th and 148th sessions, and on its special session on the COVID-19 response
– Document A74/2
Item 29
Financial matters
· Item 29.2
Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution
– Document A74/30
Item 3
Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General
– General discussion
First meeting of Committee A
Upon commencement of the General discussion
Item 10
Opening of the Committee[3]
Item 13 (Pillar 1)
Discussion of
agenda item 13 will be grouped as follows: (13.2, 13.3 & 13.9), (13.1,
13.5 & 13.8), (13.4, 13.6 & 13.7)
Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board
· Item 13.2
Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases
– Documents A74/10 Rev.1, A74/10 Add.1, A74/10 Add.2, A74/10 Add.3 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decisions EB148(6) and EB148(7)
o Oral health
– Documents A74/10 Rev.1 and EB148/2021/REC/1, resolution EB148.R1
· Item 13.3
Expanding access to effective treatments for cancer and rare and orphan diseases, including medicines, vaccines, medical devices, diagnostics, assistive products, cell- and gene-based therapies and other health technologies; and improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines, and other health products
– Document A74/9
· Item 13.9
Integrated people-centred eye care, including preventable vision impairment and blindness
– Documents A74/9, A74/9 Add.3 and A74/9 Add.5
Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Third and fourth Plenary meetings
10:00
Item 3 continued
– General discussion
Second and third meetings of Committee A
10:00 and 14:00
Items 17 and 18 (Pillar 2)
Discussion of agenda items 17 and 18 will be grouped as follows:
Public health emergencies: preparedness and response
and
Mental health preparedness for and response to the COVID-19 pandemic
· Technical update and update on the COVID-19 Response (documents A74/9 and A74/15)
· Update by the IPPPR Co-Chairs as well as by the Chairs of the IOAC and IHR Review Panel (documents A74/INF./2, A74/16, A74/9 Add.1), as well as Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005) (document A74/17)
· WHO’s work in health emergencies and strengthening preparedness for health emergencies and Mental health preparedness for and response to the COVID-19 pandemic, (documents A74/9 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(3))
Committee on Credentials
13:00
Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Fifth Plenary meeting
10:00
– Report of the Committee on Credentials
Item 5
Admission of new Members and Associate Members [if any]
– Documents A74/4 and A74/INF./5
Fourth and fifth meetings of Committee A
Immediately after conclusion of Item 5 in Plenary and 14:00
Item 13 continued
(Pillar 1)
Discussion of
agenda item 13 will be grouped as follows: (13.2, 13.3 & 13.9), (13.1,
13.5 & 13.8), (13.4, 13.6 & 13.7)
Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board
· Item 13.1
Global action on patient safety
– Documents A74/10 Rev.1, A74/10 Add.4 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(5)
· Item 13.5
Antimicrobial resistance
– Document A74/10 Rev.1
· Item 13.8
Immunization Agenda 2030
– Documents A74/9 and A74/9 Add.4
First and second meetings of Committee B
Immediately after conclusion of Item 5 in Plenary and 14:00
Item 24
Opening of the Committee[4]
Item 25
14:00
Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan
– Document A74/22
Item 26 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda item 26 will be grouped as follows: 26.1,.26.2, 26.3, 26.4, 26.6, 26.7, 26.8)
Review of and update on matters considered by the
Executive Board
Managerial, administrative and governance matters
· Item 26.1
Update on the Infrastructure Fund
o Update on information management and technology
– Documents A74/9 and A74/23
o Geneva buildings renovation strategy
– Document A74/9
· Item 26.2
WHO transformation
– Document A74/9
· Item 26.3
WHO reform
o WHO reform: governance
– Documents A74/9, A74/INF./3 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(9)
o WHO reform: World health days
– Documents A74/9, A74/9 Add.2 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(10)
o Review of entitlements of members of the Executive Board
– Documents A74/9 and EB147/2020/REC/1, decision EB147(11)
o WHO reform: involvement of non-State actors in WHO’s governing bodies
– Document A74/9
· Item 26.4
Global strategies and plans of action that are scheduled to expire within one year
o WHO global disability action plan 2014–2021: better health for all people with disability
– Documents A74/9 and EB148/2021/REC/1, resolution EB148.R6
o The global health sector strategies on, respectively, HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections, for the period 2016–2021
– Documents A74/9 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(13)
Staffing matters
· Item 26.6
Human resources: annual report
– Document A74/25
· Item 26.7
Report of the International Civil Service Commission
– Document A74/9
· Item 26.8
Amendments to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules
– Documents A74/9 and EB148/2021/REC/1, resolution EB148.R4
General Committee
17:30
Thursday, 27 May 2021
Sixth and seventh meetings of Committee A
10:00 and 14:00
Item 11 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda items 11 and 12 will be grouped)
Proposed programme budget 2022–2023
– Documents A74/5 Rev.1, A74/5 Add.1 and A74/9
o Sustainable financing
– Document A74/6
Item 12 (Pillar 4)
WHO results framework: an update
– Documents A74/7 and A74/8
Item 13 continued
(Pillar 1)
Discussion
of agenda item 13 will be grouped as follows: (13.2, 13.3 & 13.9),
(13.1, 13.5 & 13.8), (13.4, 13.6 & 13.7)
Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board
· Item 13.4
Global strategy and plan of action on public health, innovation and intellectual property
– Document A74/9
· Item 13.6
Substandard and falsified medical products
– Document A74/9
· Item 13.7
Standardization of medical devices nomenclature
– Document A74/9
Third and fourth meetings of Committee B
10:00 and 14:00
Item 26 (Pillar 4)
Review of and update on matters considered by the
Executive Board continued
Managerial, administrative and governance matters
· Item 26.5
Process for the election of the Director-General of the World Health Organization
– Documents A74/24, A74/24 Add.1, A74/24 Add.2 and EB148/2021/REC/1, decision EB148(11)
Item 27 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda items 27 and 28 will be grouped)
Appointment of representatives to the WHO Staff Pension Committee
– Document A74/26
Item 28 (Pillar 4)
Report of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board
– Document A74/27
Friday, 28 May 2021
Sixth Plenary meeting
10:00
Item 6
Executive Board: election
Item 7
Awards
– Document A74/INF./1
Eighth and ninth meetings of Committee A
Immediately after conclusion of Item 7 in Plenary and 14:00
Item 14 (Pillar 1) (Discussion of agenda items 14, 15, and 16 will be grouped)
Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
– Document A74/11
Item 15 (Pillar 1)
Health workforce
o Working for health: five-year action plan for health employment and inclusive economic growth (2017–2021)
– Document A74/12
o Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery
– Document A74/13
Item 16 (Pillar 1)
Committing to implementation of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016−2030)
– Document A74/14
Fifth and sixth meetings of Committee B
Immediately after conclusion of Item 7 in Plenary and 14:00
Item 29 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda items 29.1, 29.2, 29.3, 29.4, 29.5 and 29.6 will be grouped)
Financial matters
· Item 29.1
WHO programme and financial reports for 2020–2021, including audited financial statements for 2020
– Documents A74/28 and A74/29, and A74/INF./4
· Item 29.2
Status of collection of assessed contributions, including Member States in arrears in the payment of their contributions to an extent that would justify invoking Article 7 of the Constitution
– Document A74/31
· Item 29.3
Special arrangements for settlement of arrears [if any]
· Item 29.4
Scale of assessments 2022–2023
– Document A74/32
· Item 29.5
Amendments to the Financial Regulations and Financial Rules [if any]
· Item 29.6
Assessment of new Members and Associate Members
– Document A74/33
Item 30 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda items 30.1, 30.2 and 30.3 will be grouped)
Audit and oversight matters
· Item 30.1
Report of the External Auditor
– Document A74/34
· Item 30.2
Report of the Internal Auditor
– Document A74/35
· Item 30.3
External and internal audit recommendations: progress on implementation
– Document A74/37
To be followed by a discussion on document A74/36 preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment
Saturday, 29 May 2021
Tenth and eleventh meetings of Committee A
10:00 and 14:00
Item 19 (Pillar 2) (Discussion of agenda items 19, 20 and 21 will be grouped)
The public health implications of implementation of the Nagoya Protocol
– Document A74/9
Item 20 (Pillar 2)
Enhancement of laboratory biosafety
– Document A74/18
Item 21 (Pillar 2)
Poliomyelitis
o Polio eradication
– Document A74/19
o Polio transition planning and polio post-certification
– Document A74/20
Seventh and eighth meetings of Committee B
10:00 and 14:00
Item 31 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of agenda items 31.1 and 31.2 will be grouped)
Management and legal matters
· Item 31.1
International Agency for Research on Cancer: amendments to Statute
· Item 31.2
Agreements with intergovernmental organizations
– Document A74/44
Item 32 (Pillar 4)
Collaboration within the United Nations system and with other intergovernmental organizations
– Document A74/38
Item 33 (Pillar 4) (Discussion of all bullet points will be grouped)
Updates and future reporting
o Emergency care system for universal health coverage: ensuring timely care for the acutely ill and injured
– Document A74/39
o Rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease
– Document A74/40
o WHO global strategy on health, environment and climate change: the transformation needed to improve lives and well-being sustainably through healthy environments
– Document A74/41
o The role of the health sector in the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management towards the 2020 goal and beyond
– Document A74/42
Monday, 31 May 2021
Twelfth and thirteenth meetings of Committee A
10:00 and 14:00
Item 22 (Pillar 3) (Discussion of agenda items 22 and 23 will be grouped)
Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board
· Item 22.1
Social determinants of health
– Documents A74/9 and EB148/2021/REC/1, resolution EB148.R2
Item 23 (Pillar 3)
WHO global plan of action to strengthen the role of the health system within a national multisectoral response to address interpersonal violence, in particular against women and girls, and against children
– Document A74/21
Ninth and tenth meetings of Committee B
10:00 and 14:00
Item 34 (Pillar 4)
Matters for information
Regarding progress reports – delegations will be invited to post written statements on the website.
· Item 34.1
Progress reports
– Document A74/43
Pillar 1: One billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage
A. Sustainable health financing structures and universal coverage (resolution WHA64.9 (2011))
B. Prevention of deafness and hearing loss (resolution WHA70.13 (2017))
C. Promoting the health of refugees and migrants (decision WHA72(14) (2019))
D. Eradication of dracunculiasis (resolution WHA64.16 (2011))
E. Progress in the rational use of medicines (resolution WHA60.16 (2007))
F. Global technical strategy and targets for malaria 2016–2030 (resolution WHA68.2 (2015))
Pillar 2: One billion more people better protected from health emergencies
G. Smallpox eradication: destruction of variola virus stocks (resolution WHA60.1 (2007))
Pillar 3: One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being
H. Water, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities (resolution WHA72.7 (2019))
I. Plan of action on climate change and health in small island developing States (decision WHA72(10) (2019))
Tuesday, 1 June 2021
Fourteenth meeting of Committee A
10:00
Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports
Eleventh meeting of Committee B
10:00
Finalization of resolutions/decisions and reports
Seventh Plenary meeting
Immediately after conclusion of Committees A and B
Item 8
Reports of the main committees
Item 9
Closure of the Health Assembly
3. Strategic briefings
The following strategic briefings will take place during the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly.
Tuesday, 25 May
13:10–13:50
The time to act is now: preparing for the next pandemic today (Pillar 2)
Wednesday, 26 May
13:10–13:50
Primary Health Care for Universal Health Coverage: from UN commitments to country implementation (Pillar 1)
Thursday, 27 May
13:10–13:50
Safe
societies and environments for health: the path to build forward better,
healthier
and greener
(Pillar 3)
Friday, 28 May
13:10–13:50
Preventing sexual exploitation and abuse: from policy to practice (Pillar 4)
4. Arrangement for the conduct of discussion in meetings
Member States, Associate Members, Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating intergovernmental organizations will be provided with the opportunity to take the floor under agenda item 3 Address by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General.
Verbal statements
Member State delegations are asked to observe the time limit for verbal statements during the virtual sessions: individual statements by Member States and Associate Members be limited to three minutes (330 words), except for statements provided under items 17 Public health emergencies: preparedness and response and 18 Mental health preparedness for and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In relation to the (3) statements provided under those two items, four minutes (440 words) will be allotted for statements by Member States and Associate Members. Regional and group statements will be limited to four minutes (440 words). Delegations providing group statements are discouraged from taking the floor subsequently to provide a national statement. In addition, delegations on whose behalf a group statement is provided, are discouraged from subsequently taking the floor except to provide any brief additional comments that were not covered by the group statement.
Statements by Observers, invited representatives of invited United Nations and other participating intergovernmental organizations will be limited to two minutes (220 words) and statements by non-State actors in official relations with the Organization will be limited to one minute. On selected agenda items, a limited number of non-State actor constituencies will deliver “constituency statements” limited to three minutes.
To ensure that statements are interpreted as clearly as possible, delegates are requested to submit a copy of their statements at least one hour in advance by email to interpret@who.int , to close windows to reduce background noise and to use high quality headsets with echo cancelling microphones.
Written statements
Member States and Associate Members are invited to submit written statements for posting on the website in the language of submission in accordance with the guidelines for written statements in decision EB146(17).
Observers, invited representatives of the United Nations and of other participating and intergovernmental organizations are also invited to submit written statements in accordance with those guidelines. Non-State actors are invited to submit written statements as per the practical information for representatives of non-State actors in official relations with WHO.
In accordance with the guidelines, statements may be provided in any of the six WHO official languages and should be limited to 500 words for individual statements and 800 words for group statements. They should be submitted to statements@who.int, clearly indicating the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the subject line.
Video statements
Member States and Associate Members may submit a pre-recorded video statement in place of live interventions. Video statements should be received by Wednesday 19 May (COB) and may be uploaded at the following link: https://bit.ly/31VHUFP. The following time limits will apply: Member States and Associate Members - three minutes and Group statements - four minutes. When uploading each video, please indicate clearly the relevant agenda item or sub-item in the description field. Videos received after the deadline, exceeding the time limits or labelled in such a way that the relevant agenda item or sub-item cannot be identified, may not be played. Video statements may be included in the live streaming and therefore will be included in the official records.
5. Announcements
Virtual Meeting Platform for WHA74
The Zoom platform will be used for virtual sessions of WHA74. In order to ensure good sound quality on the virtual platform, please ensure that when taking the floor to deliver a statement, you select the language on the interpretation channel in which you are planning to speak and use high-quality headsets with echo cancelling microphones and webcam. We recommend that you use a personal computer, rather than a smartphone or tablet, and download the latest version of the Zoom software. Please deliver your statement at a moderate speed that allows for its interpretation and ensures your message is conveyed clearly and accurately.
Support
For support related to the virtual platform, please send an email to GBS-IT-Support@who.int.
Video streaming
The Plenary sessions will be webcast in the six UN languages. The webcasts can be viewed on Mac and PCs, as well as all mobile devices including iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows-enabled phones.
Arabic: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=ar
Chinese: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=zh
English: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=en
French: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=fr
Russian: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=ru
Spanish: https://player.4am.ch/who/20210524-0601_wha74/player.html?lang=es
WHA App
The World Health Assembly application allows you to receive updates on the WHA74 programme of work and access documentation directly on your mobile device. Scan the QR code below and download the application in your device.
5. Provisional list of speakers for the general discussion in Plenary
Delegates can view the speaker’s list at any given time:
https://extranet.who.int/dataformv3/index.php/reporting/module/367868
= = =
[1] Item 4 Invited Speakers will be taken up during the High-level welcome.
[2] Rules 30 and 31 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Health Assembly define membership of and attendance at the General Committee. Web link: http://apps.who.int/gb/gov/.
[3] Including election of Vice-Chairs and Rapporteur.
[4] Including election of Vice-Chairs and Rapporteur