Immunisation at the 70th World Health Assembly

Geneva, 22 May 2017 - As governments and global health partners gather in Geneva for this week’s 70th World Health Assembly (WHA), the unfinished business of global immunisation is high on the agenda.

Key moments for immunisation:

Monday 22 May  

Election of the new WHO Director-General 

The election of the new Director-General will be a milestone for the entire spectrum of global health activities, including immunisation and polio eradication.

Women and non-communicable diseases: fostering an integrated health agenda  

Gavi’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) Anuradha Gupta will take part in a side event held by Women Deliver, where she will share insights on the role of vaccination in preventing cervical cancer. She will also reflect on gender-based approaches to strengthening the delivery of both immunisation and other health interventions.

Immune Nations 

Tuesday will also see the opening ceremony of the “Immune Nations” photo exhibition at UNAIDS headquarters, where our DCEO Anuradha Gupta will be speaking. Gavi is co-sponsoring the exhibition, which focuses on the role of art in shaping the global discourse around immunisation. It will run from 23 May to 30 June 2017.

Wednesday 24 May  

Reaching everyone, everywhere with life-saving vaccines  

During this technical briefing, Anuradha Gupta will join WHO’s Director-General Dr Margaret Chan and other WHO and country leaders to review progress in global immunisation. This includes reflecting on the mid-term results of the 2016 Global Vaccine Action Plan and sharing experiences on how to overcome key obstacles to global and national vaccination goals.

Thursday 25 May 

Universal health coverage: sustained commitment and concrete achievements  

This session will discuss progress towards achieving universal health coverage. It will explore how governments and global health partners, including donors and advocates, can support the advancement of health without financial hardship. As the public health intervention that reaches the largest number of people worldwide, immunisation will be a critical part of this discussion.

Friday 26 May 

Health and the environment: inheriting a sustainable world 

More than 12 million deaths every year are due to preventable environmental health risks. These include infectious diseases caused by poor sanitation, mosquitoes and climate change, as well as a growing burden of non-communicable diseases resulting from air pollution and urbanisation. This session will showcase solutions to these complex problems, in which immunisation will play an important role.

For the latest activities and updates, please see the WHA website: http://apps.who.int/gb/e/e_wha70.html