WHO Urges Parliamentarians to Join Global Forum at WHA79 to Advance Pandemic Preparedness

Tedros says lawmakers play critical role in turning global health commitments into national action through legislation, funding, and accountability.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on parliamentarians from around the world to participate in the Global Parliamentary Forum during the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA79) in Geneva on 20 May, as international efforts intensify to strengthen pandemic preparedness and secure sustainable financing for global health systems.

The Forum, jointly organized by WHO and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), is expected to bring together lawmakers, government delegates, civil society organizations, and global health leaders for high-level discussions on advancing the proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement and reinforcing long-term investment in healthcare systems.

The event comes at a critical moment for international public health governance as countries continue debating reforms designed to prevent the failures exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen global readiness for future health emergencies.

In a recorded address delivered during the 152nd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that parliamentarians are essential to translating international health agreements into real-world national action.

"Your participation is essential," Dr Tedros said.

"It connects decisions taken in Geneva with action at the national level – through legislation, budgeting and accountability."

The Global Parliamentary Forum has become an increasingly important platform for strengthening parliamentary engagement in international health policy and ensuring lawmakers play a more active role in shaping national responses to global health challenges.

Organizers say the annual event is designed to bridge the gap between global policy discussions and domestic implementation by enabling direct dialogue between parliamentarians and WHO leadership.

This year's forum will place particular focus on two major issues dominating global health discussions: the WHO Pandemic Agreement and sustainable financing for health systems.

The proposed Pandemic Agreement — currently under negotiation among WHO member states — seeks to establish a stronger international framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response following the unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19.

Key areas under discussion include information sharing, equitable access to vaccines and medical supplies, international coordination during health emergencies, surveillance systems, and strengthening healthcare resilience.

Global health experts say parliamentary involvement will be crucial to implementing any future agreement because many of the required measures — including public health legislation, emergency funding, and oversight mechanisms — must ultimately be adopted at the national level.

The forum will also address growing concerns about long-term health financing as countries worldwide face mounting healthcare pressures from ageing populations, infectious disease threats, climate-related health risks, and strained public health budgets.

WHO officials have repeatedly warned that insufficient and unpredictable health financing remains one of the biggest obstacles to achieving universal health coverage and improving pandemic readiness globally.

By bringing parliamentarians directly into the discussion, WHO hopes to strengthen political support for more stable and sustainable investment in public health systems.

"We strongly encourage you to join your national delegation at the World Health Assembly and take an active role in this Forum," Dr Tedros said.

"Together, we can turn global commitments into real impact for people's health."

The Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly is expected to attract health ministers, diplomats, policymakers, scientists, and international organizations from across the globe as countries debate some of the most pressing health challenges facing the international community.

The inclusion of lawmakers at the forum reflects growing recognition that global health security increasingly depends not only on technical expertise and international agreements, but also on political leadership, domestic legislation, and democratic accountability.

Public health analysts say parliamentary engagement became especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when national legislatures were required to rapidly pass emergency laws, allocate healthcare funding, oversee government responses, and balance public health measures with economic and civil liberty concerns.

The WHO-IPU collaboration also highlights broader efforts to strengthen multilateral cooperation at a time when global health governance faces increasing geopolitical tensions, funding challenges, and rising public expectations for preparedness against future pandemics.

The Global Parliamentary Forum will be open to members of parliament attending WHA79 as part of their national delegations, alongside WHO Member State representatives, civil society organizations, development partners, and other key stakeholders.

Experts say the discussions could play a significant role in shaping how countries approach future pandemic governance, health financing reforms, and international cooperation in the years ahead.