An overview of meetings taking place during the 70th World Health Assembly at the Palais des Nations and in town:
- WHA Plenary and Committee meetings
WHA documentation with provisional agenda and tentative program of work (WHA Journal) - 3 Technical Briefings organized by the WHO Secretariat and open to WHA delegates
(source: WHA Journal) - 25 Meetings at the Palais des Nations organized by WHO Member States and open to WHA delegates
(source: WHA Journal) - 7 Side events at the Palais des Nations organized by non-State Actors in official relations with WHO
(source: WHO Secretariat) - over 40 other meetings taking place in the WHA week organized by various actors
For events at the Palais des Nations, WHA registration (badge) is required.
Send your announcements and abstracts of official NGO side events (room IX) to: info@g2h2.org
Enquiries: Please get in touch with the organizer
FRIDAY 19 MAY 2017
9:30-17:00 hrs, Ecumenical Centre
“What is to be done to recover peoples’ sovereignty: Nutrition, food, global health and corporate power”. Civil Society Brainstorming Meeting
Organizer: G2H2 and its members
Host: WCC
Followed by a reception
Announcement: website
SATURDAY 20 MAY 2017
9:00-16:00 hrs, Ecumenical Centre
WHO governance: Still many open questions
Civil Society Strategy Meeting
Session 1: Key agenda items of the World Health Assembly
Session 2: Focus on WHO governance
Organizers: G2H2 and its members, TWN, PHM
Host: WCC
Announcement: website
15:00-18:30 hrs, Hotel Starling
Commonwealth Civil Society Policy Forum
Organizers: CHPA, Commonwealth Foundation, ICWEA, TWN,
Host: WCC
Announcement: website
SUNDAY 21 MAY 2017
13:00-14:30 hrs, Maison de la Paix
G2H2 Annual General Meeting
Organizer: Geneva Global Health Hub
Announcement: website
14:30-17:30, Hotel Starling
Cervical cancer: An NCD we can overcome
Organizer: Global Health Objectives
Announcement: website
15:00-18:00 hrs, Maison de la Paix
Introduction to the World Health Assembly: A Briefing for Delegates
Organizers: Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute and UN Foundation
Announcement: website
15:00-17:00 hrs, new UICC office
Civil society advocacy briefing
Organizer: NCD Alliance
Announcement: website
18:30-21:30, Hotel Intercontinental
Unsung Heroines of Health
Organizer: WGH and GE Foundation
(invitation-only)
Announcement: not yet available
MONDAY 22 MAY 2017
08:00-10:00 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Getting down to Business on Global Health Security
Organizers: GHSA Private Sector Roundtable, Harvard Global Health Institute
Announcement: website
12:45–14:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA meeting: Gearing up towards sustainable health development by 2030: are we walking the talk?
Organizers: Delegations of Bangladesh, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Thailand and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:45–14:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIII
WHA meeting: Reforming the work of WHO in the African Region – the Transformation Agenda
Organizers: Delegation of Botswana
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:45–14:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Attacks on healthcare. Where do we stand one year after the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 2286?
Organizers: Delegations of Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Médecins Sans Frontières International (MSF) and the World Medical Association.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
16:00-17:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Serpentine bar
G2H2 Teatime: A chat among civil society colleagues
Organizers: Geneva Global Health Hub
16:00-18:00 hrs, Club Suisse de la Presse
Enabling Global Health Security Through Health Systems Strengthening. Perspectives From Women Leaders
Organizers: RM, MSH, USP, GHC
Announcement: website
16:00-16:45 hrs, live broadcast
World Health +SocialGood
Organizers: WHO, UN Foundation, +SocialGood
Announcement: website
17:45-18:45 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Responding to the Challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) – Perspectives of Civil Society, Intergovernmental Organizations and Developing Countries
Organizers: MSF, DNDi, HAI, MMI
With the support of the South Centre and ReAct
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
“The WHO has led the way for increased global awareness and collaboration to address the crisis on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The United Nations Political Declaration on AMR, which was approved in September 2016, highlights the need for increased cooperation among multiple stakeholders, including civil society, for effective global action. It is for this reason that Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF); Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi); Health Action International (HAI); Medicus Mundi International Network (MMI) together with the South Centre would like to hold a side event during the World Health Assembly where civil society, intergovernmental organizations and developing countries can share experiences and explore issues around access, R&D and stewardship to ensure a strong public interest perspective and to reaffirm the important role that non-state actors play in ensuring that AMR issues are adequately addressed.” (Source: organizers)
18:00-19:30 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Success Factors for NCDs: Pathways to Accelerate Progress
High-level event followed by a reception
Organizer: NCD Alliance
Announcement: website
18:30-20:00 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
From Commitment to Action: Partnerships to Strengthen Surgical and Anaesthesia Care for All
Organizer: G4 Alliance and members, GE Foundation, Safe Surgery 2020
Announcement: website
19:00-20:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Investing in innovative health R&D tools to address antimicrobial resistance and achieve Sustainable Development Goals
Organizers: MMV, Cohred, GHC
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not available
17:45–19:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VIII
WHA meeting: Launch of the report and recommendations of the Working Group for the Health and Human Rights of Women, Children and Adolescents
Organizers: Delegations of Australia, Canada, Chile, Fiji, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Sweden and Uruguay, WHO, UNHRC
Announcement: Download
17:45–19:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIII
WHA meeting: The International Health Regulations (IHR) and the impact of the Global Health Security Agenda: achieving results and sustaining progress
Organizers: Delegations of Canada, Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, the Netherlands, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United States of America.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
17:45–19:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Development of new technologies to prevent future health crises: the role of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
Organizers: Delegations of Germany, Japan, Norway, Rwanda and the United States of America
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
TUESDAY 23 MAY 2017
08:00-9:30 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Access to Diabetes Medicines and Care in Underserved Populations: Patient, Health Worker, Government and Multilaterial Perspectives on Policy
Organizers: International Diabetes Federation
Announcement: website
08:00 hrs, Restaurant Vieux Bois
Better Medicines for Children
Organizers: NCDChild, American Academy of Pediatrics, International Pediatric Association
Announcement: not available
12:00–14:00 hrs, Ecumenical Centre
NGO F4H Annual Assembly
Organizers: NGO Forum for Health
Details: not yet available
12:00–13:00 hrs, Ecumenical Centre
Biotherapeutics & the next 70 years: Delivering on their potential for patients globally
Organizers:IFPMA and IAPO
Registration form: not available
12:00–14:00 hrs, Press Club
Priorities for the next WHO Director-General
Organizers: GHC, MSH and partners
Announcement: website
12:15–13:45 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XII
WHA meeting: The role of regulators in global health emergencies
Organizers: Delegations of Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Singapore and the United States of America
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:15–13:45 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Stronger national health systems underpinning stronger health security
Organizers: Delegations of Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Turkey and the United Republic of Tanzania
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
13:30-15:00 hrs, Maison de la Paix
Innovative Financing, Transforming Governance: What does it mean for countries and organisations?
Organizer: Global Health Centre
Announcement: Website
15.00-17.00hrs, Maison de la Paix
Transparency for Innovation and Access to Medicines: What are the benefits & risks, obstacles & solutions?
Organisers: Global Health Centre, together with FIND
Announcement: website
16:00-17:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Serpentine bar
G2H2 Teatime: A chat among civil society colleagues
Organizers: Geneva Global Health Hub
16:00-18:00 hrs, Club Suisse de la Presse
Againdst all Odds: Strengthening Health Systems to Better Serve Vulnerable Women and Children: Perspectives from Women Leaders
Organizer: MSH, GHC, USP
Announcement: website
16:00-18:00 hrs, UN Library Events Room (B-135)
How to ensure ageing with dignity (Roundtable)
Organizer: CSEND
Announcement: not yet available
17:00-18:30 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
With a rapidly ageing global population, how can we tackle severe hearing loss to help keep global healthcare systems sustainable?
Followed by cocktail reception
Organizer: Hearring, Comprehensive Hearing Implants, MED-EL
Announcement: not yet available
18:00-20:30, Hotel Intercontinental
Partners For Better Health
Organizer: GE Foundation and Partners
Announcement: not yet available
WEDNESDAY 24 MAY 2017
9:00-13:00, WCC Ecumenical Centre
2nd Consultation on Global Ecumenical Health Strategy
Organizer: World Council of Churches, Health and Healing
Announcement: website
8:00-10:00 hrs, Save the Children office
Civil Society Engagement Mechanisms for UHC2030: Where are we and how to engage?
Organizer: CSEM
Announcement: Download
8:00-10:00 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Health and Hygiene across the Life Course
Organizers: WSSCC, SCA and WaterAid
Announcement: website
12:30-14:15hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XII
WHA Technical Briefing: Reaching everyone, everywhere with life-saving vaccines
Organizer: WHO
Announcment: WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VIII
WHA meeting: Promoting intersectoral and coordinated actions to further invest in health and social workforce: towards achieving the 2030 Agenda
Organizers: Delegations of Argentina, France, Nepal, Nigeria, the Philippines and South Africa
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VIII
WHA meeting: BRICS effort towards health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — improve the integrated health service delivery system
Organizers: Delegations of Brazil, China and South Africa.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Citizen-led accountability to achieve Health for All — Adolescents as agents of change
Organizers: Delegations of Afghanistan, Canada, Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH), UNAIDS and the United NationsPopulation Fund (UNFPA).
Announcement: PDF
“This event builds on the growing movement for citizen led accountability and aims to feed into the Independent Accountability Panel for Every Woman, Every Child, Every Adolescent and the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to strengthen citizen accountability in Agenda 2030 implementation at all levels.” (Source: organizers)
12:30-14:00 hrs, ICRC
Psoriasis in the NCD Agenda – The Road to 2018
Organizers: IFPA, Global Psoriasis Coalition
Announcement: website
12:00-14:00 hrs, Hotel InterContinental
Investing in R&D from AMR to Zika. Laying the foundation for sustainable development
Organizers: GHTC, MMV, PATH, TB alliance
Announcement: website
16:00-17:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Serpentine bar
G2H2 Teatime: A chat among civil society colleagues
Organizers: Geneva Global Health Hub
16:00-16:45 hrs, live broadcast
World Health +SocialGood
Organizers: WHO, UN Foundation, +SocialGood
Announcement: website
17:00-19:00 hrs, Graduate Institute
Breaking down Barriers to Youth Empowerment: Advancing Young People’s Access to Information on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Organizers: UNAIDS, Delegation of Denmark
Announcement: not yet available
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Addressing access barriers and affordability challenges for cancer drugs
Organizers: KEI, Oxfam, HAI
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not yet available
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VII
WHA meeting: The impact of the recommendations of UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel report on Access to Medicines on vulnerable populations
Organizers: Delegations of Plurinational State of Bolivia, India, Morocco and Uganda
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VIII
WHA meeting: Partnership matters — achieving stronger systems for health in practice
Organizers: Delegations of Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, Japan, Myanmar, Slovenia, South Africa, Sweden, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the European Union and the World Bank.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Polio’s final stand: an update on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative
Organizers: Delegations of Angola, Canada, Japan, Monaco, Nigeria, Pakistan and the United States of America
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00-20:00 hrs, Maison de la Paix
Health in All Policies: Launch of the Global Network
Organisers: Federal Ministry of Health, Republic of the Sudan in cooperation with WHO, and hosted by the Global Health Centre
Announcment: website
THURSDAY 25 MAY 2017
07:00-08:45 hrs, ICRC Restaurant
How the WHO GCM/NCD adds value now and in the future
Organizer: WHO GCM/NCD
Announcement: website
12:30 to 14:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XII
WHA Technical Briefing: Universal Health Coverage – sustained commitment and concrete achievements
Organizer: WHO
Announcment: WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VIII
WHA meeting: Partnerships for health system transformation: valuing the experiences
Organizers: Delegations of Bahrain, Ethiopia, Republic of Moldova, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA meeting: Building capacity for innovation and access: combatting neglected tropical diseases
Organizers: Delegations of Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Namibia, the Philippines, Switzerland and the United States of America
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Towards universal eye health: taking stock of progress against the Global Action Plan — what’s working and where to from here?
Organizers: Delegations of Australia, Austria, Burkina Faso, China, Cook Islands, Czechia, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Kenya, Malta, Pakistan, Tonga, Fred Hollows Foundation, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Orbis International.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30-14:00 hrs, Geneva Press Club
A call for action for lung health
Organizer: NCD Alliance and partners
Announcement: website
12:45-14:15 hrs, Maison de la Paix
Global Health R&D: How can we best set priorities based on evidence?
Organisers: Switzerland and South Africa, supported by the EC, hosted by the Global Health Centre
Announcment: website
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Country-led effort to end Malaria
Organizers: Delegations of Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Monaco, New Zealand and the United States of America.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Addressing the health of vulnerable populations for an inclusive society
Organizers: Delegations of Brazil, Cambodia, France, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Norway, the Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand and Viet Nam
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00-20: hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Health Workers Count
Organizer: WHO HIS/HWF and the Global Health Workforce Network
Co-sponsors: Intrahealth, FHWC, IPF, MMI
RSVP: Download
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: The Role of Next Generation in Addressing Non-Communicable Diseases
Organizers: Commonwealth Pharmacists Association, IFMSA
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not yet available
18:00-21:00 hrs, Hotel Intercontinental
Immunization and prevention: A life-course approach for a healthy & productive ageing population
Organizers: IFPMA
Announcement: website
18.00-20.00 hrs, Maison de la Paix
Governing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Addressing the commercial determinants of health
Organisers: Global Health Centre, in cooperation with NCD Alliance
Announcement: website
FRIDAY 26 MAY 2017
12:30-14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Scaling-up Access to Emergency & Essential Surgical, Obstetric and Anesthesia care for better health systems and sustainable development
Organizers: Delegation of Australia, China, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mongolia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Tonga, the United Republic of Tanzania, the United States of America, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the International College of Surgeons and the World Council of Churches.
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
12:30 to 14:15 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XII
WHA Technical Briefing: Health and the environment: inheriting a sustainable world
Organizer: WHO
Announcment: WHA Journal
12:30-14:00 hrs, Red Cross Museum
What is the role of the Private Sector in helping to achieve Universal Health Coverage
Organizers: Save the Children, WMA, GSK
Announcement: website
16:00-16:45 hrs, live broadcast
World Health +SocialGood
Organizers: WHO, UN Foundation, +SocialGood
Announcement: website
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Safeguarding blood safety for the multi-transfused patients
Organizers: Thalassaemia International Federation, World Federation of Hemophilia, International Society of Blood Transfusion, IAPOT and Worldwide Network for Blood and Marrow Transplantation
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not yet available
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VII
WHA meeting: Panel discussion on the role of regional cooperation in building regulatory and legal frameworks for noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control
Organizers: Delegation ofBrunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Italy, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Leaving no one behind in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): equity, gender and human rights policy to practice
Organizers: Delegation of Canada, Chile,
Indonesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nepal and Norway
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
SATURDAY 27 MAY 2017
12:30-14:30 hrs, Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum
Health cooperation beyond aid
Organizer: MMI Network
Lunch at 11:30
Announcement: website
MONDAY 29 MAY 2017
12:30–14:00 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VII
WHA meeting: Annual Ministerial progress review meeting on Start Free Stay Free AIDS Free
Organizers: Delegation of Lesotho, Malawi, Paraguay and Swaziland
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room VII
WHA meeting: Building the gap between evidence and policy: the role of Parliamentarians in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Organizers: Delegation of Lesotho, Malawi, Paraguay and Swaziland
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Community Health Workers as catalysts in the implementation of the recommendations by the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growths
Organizers: AMREF Health Africa and IntraHealth
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not yet available
TUESDAY 30 MAY 2017
18:00-19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room IX
WHA side event: Embodying the future: How to improve the nutrition status of adolescents?
Organizers: GAIN and delegations of the Netherlands
WHO overview of official WHA side events organized by non-state actors: website
Specific announcement: not yet available
18:00–19:30 hrs, Palais des Nations, Room XXIV
WHA meeting: Commemoration of World No Tobacco Day 2017 — a threat to development
Organizers: Delegation of Australia, Bhutan, Estonia, Georgia, India, Morocco, Panama, Senegal and Uganda
Announcement (no details): WHA Journal