Global Health NOW at the World Health Assembly 2017

May 22-31, 2017—Geneva
Nearly 4,000 delegates from 194 countries are coming to Geneva for this year’s World Health Assembly—a critical one for the future of the WHO. The delegates will elect WHO’s new Director-General, set the WHO budget for the next two years and confront a host of important issues.

Following is Global Health NOW’s on-the-ground coverage from #WHA70.

May 30 & 31, 2017
Electing WHO’s New DG: Laurie Garrett Q&A, Part I
Calling this year’s election of the new Director-General of the WHO a victory not only for Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus but for transparency, Laurie Garrett, senior fellow for global health with the Council on Foreign Relations, reflects on the election process and prospects for Tedros’s tenure in part 1 of this Q&A.

Advice for Tedros: Laurie Garrett Q&A, Part II
In Part II, Garrett doles out advice for Tedros—including the surprising warning to avoid too much travel—and how to cope with the paltry WHO budget and ensure people have a voice at the WHA.

May 29, 2017
“The Most Important Endangered Species?” Humans.
Margaret Chan delivered a harsh reality check to the World Health Assembly: The world is losing its capacity to sustain human life, and the health sector cannot provide all the solutions. Already, nearly a quarter of all deaths worldwide are linked to environmental issues, according to the WHO.

May 26, 2017
Loyce Pace: Making Sense of the US Budget Proposal for Global Health
Following the Trump administration's release of an FY18 budget with a 26% reduction in global health funding, GHN turned to Loyce Pace, president and executive director of the Global Health Council, to make sense of this dichotomy and get a preview of the global health community response.

May 25, 2017
Shaping WHO’s Future: 5 Experts Advise the New DG
Just hours before Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was appointed the next WHO Director-General, a group of global health experts debated the most pressing leadership priorities for an organization that’s been hobbled by a creaky bureaucracy, a severely limited budget and a perception that it’s no longer relevant.

May 24, 2017
Up First for Tedros: Budget, Then Universal Health Coverage
WHO’s budget situation requires immediate attention, while universal health coverage will be an enduring priority, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday in his first press conference as WHO Director-General-elect.

May 24, 2017
It’s Tedros!
Cheers, applause, Ethiopian flags, mobile phones held high and a crush of well-wishers greeted Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Tuesday evening after his election as WHO’s next Director-General.

May 23, 2017
Tom Price’s 5 Priorities for a Better WHO
Tom Price brought honey and sharp words to a Tuesday afternoon event that focused on priorities for the next Director-General of the WHO.

May 23, 2017
Margaret Chan’s Farewell
Blowing kisses, bowing deeply, and giving a final salute, Margaret Chan ended a farewell address Monday that acknowledged WHO’s shortcomings but also argued vigorously for the organization’s contributions to health during her decade as WHO Director-General.

May 22, 2017
Inside the WHO Director-General Election
GHN offers a step-by-step guide to the election process—secret ballots and all.

May 22, 2017
#WHA70’s Opening Day: Not Quite All Together
A celebratory kick-off launched the proceedings, but controversies quickly surfaced including the nomination of Veronika Skvortsova, Russia’s Minister of Health (which drew an angry response from the Ukrainian delegation) and the rejection of Taiwan’s bid for observer status.

May 18, 2017
8 Things To Look For At The 70th World Health Assembly
Starting off GHN's coverage of #WHA70, Global Health NOW offers an insider’s guide to the most pressing issues to watch—from the D-G election, to the polio transition, to dementia.

March-May, 2017
Meet WHO’s Next Leader
This year, the World Health Assembly in Geneva faces a critical task: Selecting Margaret Chan's successor as director-general of the WHO. GHN reached out to the 3 finalists vying for the role—Tedros Adhanom, David Nabarro and Sania Nishtar—for in-depth Q&As, giving each the chance to make their case.

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