79th World Health Assembly Agenda Item 3: General Debate

Mr. President,

The theme of this 79^th World Health Assembly, ‘Reshaping Global Health: A Shared Responsibility’, highlights the fact that no State, regardless of its resources, can independently ensure the health of its population without considering the health of the global population. Shared responsibility is therefore not an aspiration; it is a reality this Assembly is invited to act upon.

            Reshaping global health begins with an honest assessment of the current situation. There are significant disparities in life expectancy and health quality across and within countries, influenced by various factors, including development and education. Conflicts, climate-related disasters, displacement and economic instability are making quality and affordable healthcare increasingly inaccessible, especially for people in developing countries. It is therefore vital to take action to address the structural causes and policies that lead to inequalities, instead of lamenting their effects.

First and foremost, shared responsibility is a call for civil Authorities to consistently uphold the God-given dignity of every human being, by promoting the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health in policymaking and improving the conditions that enable people to live in good health. 

            Shared responsibility must also reshape international cooperation. The international order is under strain, with its institutions all too often being seen as obstacles rather than instruments of the common good. However, such challenges cannot be solved by any State alone. Within this Organization, the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the ongoing work on the PABS Annex demonstrate that the international cooperation required to protect and promote health is possible. My Delegation hopes that all WHO Member States will conclude the negotiations on the Annex in a timely manner.

Mr. President,

The ethical litmus test of any reshaped global health architecture is how it treats those whose inherent dignity is most easily forgotten: the child in the womb, the elderly, persons with disabilities, the poor, the displaced. Catholic Institutions, providing approximately one quarter of the world’s healthcare to anyone in need, remain committed partners in this endeavour. As stated by Pope Leo XIV, “responsibility is the sure way to peace. If all of us, at every level [...], would truly enter into the suffering of others and stand in solidarity with the weak and the oppressed, then the world would change”[1]. Access to healthcare must not be a privilege reserved for a selected few: reshaping global health means giving this precondition the practical force through law, policy, funding, and solidarity.

Thank you, Mr. President.