Syria participates in the 70th session of World Health Assembly which will kick off next Monday at the UN HQ in Geneva with the participation of 194 countries and representatives of non-governmental organizations, international bodies and donors.

Health Minister Dr. Nizar Yazji, the head of the Syrian delegation to Geneva, underlined the special importance of Syria’s participation in this session for strengthening the efforts and deepening joint cooperation in the health field to positively reflect on the health situation in Syria, especially in the current circumstances.
Minister Yazji said the delegation will brief the WHO member states on the reality of the health situation in Syria and the government’s efforts to ensure the increased health and relief needs to citizens under the European and American economic measures imposed on Syria which had harmed the health sector.

He noted that the participation in the Assembly’s activities provides an opportunity for exchanging experts and policies in the health field.

The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for WHO. It generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from all 194 member states. Its main function is to determine the policies of the Organization.

The Health Assembly appoints the Director-General, supervises the financial policies of the Organization, and reviews and approves the proposed programme budget. It similarly considers reports of the Executive Board, which it instructs in regard to matters upon which further action, study, investigation, or report may be required.

The agenda of the 70th World Health Assembly discusses health issues, including the response to health emergencies.Participants will touch upon the health situation in the occupied Palestinian territories and in the occupied Syrian Golan, the progress achieved in the sustainable development plan for 2030 and the world strategy on the health of women, children and adolescents