Reaffirming Commitment to Global Health Cause

China reaffirmed its support for the World Health Organization (WHO) and multilateralism, saying it stands ready to build a global community of health for all, at the 78th session of the World Health Assembly that opened in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 19.

Themed "One World for Health," the assembly has brought together delegations from 194 member states and will run through May 27.

One of the achievements of this year's assembly is the adoption of a landmark agreement on how to prepare for future pandemics. After three years of intense negotiations, the legally binding pact was formally adopted by consensus on May 20.

"China has been actively participating in the negotiations of the pandemic agreement," Hu Guang, director of the Emergency Response Division at China's National Disease Control and Prevention Administration, said.

Guided by the vision of building a global community of health for all, China has practiced true multilateralism and advocated strengthening solidarity and cooperation during the talks, according to Hu.

"The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our member states to adopt the historic WHO pandemic agreement," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. "The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats."

Another important agenda of this year's assembly was a high-level pledging event where leaders reaffirmed their support for multilateral cooperation through contributions to WHO's Investment Round, raising funds for WHO's strategy for global health. It featured pledges from China, Angola, Cambodia and other countries as well as philanthropic foundations.

"I am grateful to every member state and partner that has pledged towards the investment round. In a challenging climate for global health, these funds will help us to preserve and extend our life-saving work," Tedros said. "They show that multilateralism is alive and well."

"The efforts deliver a strong signal of China's support to WHO during this reform process," Lei Haichao, head of China's National Health Commission (NHC), said.

China welcomes WHO's internal reforms to improve efficiency and better serve its member states, and stands ready to participate in the process through both financial and personnel support, according to Lei.

In addition to engaging in the main event, China hosted a series of side events during the assembly.

China attaches great importance to the health and well-being of its people and is harnessing emerging technologies to improve primary healthcare, Lei said at a side event on the digital and intelligent empowerment of primary healthcare.

At another side event on traditional medicine, Yu Yanhong, director of China's National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, highlighted the country's longstanding commitment to the development of traditional medicine and reiterated commitment to supporting the integration of traditional medicine into health systems worldwide.

Saia Piukala, WHO regional director for the Western Pacific, called traditional medicine a vital pillar of health systems and a significant contributor to global health.

At yet another side event on mental health, Jiao Yahui, an official from the NHC, outlined China's transformative mental health strategy, shifting the focus from treating manifested diseases to preventive treatment, and called for strengthening international collaboration in psychological and mental health.

Source: Science and Technology Daily