WHO Member States Discuss Proposed IHR Amendments

WHO Member States continued to discuss proposals to revise the International Health Regulations (HRI, 2005), highlighting the importance of their work for future global security.

The seventh meeting of the Working Group on IHR Amendments (WGIHR) was held from 5 to 9 February 2024, and discussions are expected to resume on 8 March and conclude at this seventh meeting.

"This working group will determine global surveillance and global security for the next decade about health emergencies, especially major infectious diseases," said Dr Michael Ryan, Director-General of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme.

In recent discussions, the Government has focused on improving the amendments to documents and annexes at the advanced level of negotiations. They also have a lot to say about the Public Health Alert - Global Health Alert (PHEIC) - Global Awareness.

At the last public meeting, Co-Chair Dr Ashley Bloomfield reiterated that the WGIHR is a Government-led membership process and that the final reform package was approved by consensus.

Other issues considered by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) related to equity, cooperation, capacity building and financing will be discussed by Member States on 8 March 2024 at the seventh meeting of the WGIHR. raise

The WGIHR will discuss proposed amendments to the governance provisions and basic provisions of the Constitution at its 8th meeting in April 2024 to finalize a package of amendments for discussion at the 77th World Health Assembly in May 2024.