The Seventy-eight World Health Assembly (WHA78) will take place on 19−27 May 2025 in Geneva.
Resolutions
This year the Assembly will discuss two resolutions related to neglected tropical diseases (NTDs): “Accelerating the eradication of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease)” and “Skin diseases as a global public health priority”. Both resolutions were considered by the Executive Board during its 156th session in January 2025 through decisions EB156(23) and EB156(24).
Progress report on eradication of dracunculiasis
Pursuant to resolution WHA64.16 (2011), WHO submits annual progress reports to the Assembly on global efforts to interrupt transmission of Dracunculus medinensis. In 2024, only 15 cases of dracunculiasis were reported to WHO. To date, a total of 200 countries, areas and territories, representing 188 WHO Member States, have been certified by WHO as free of transmission. Six Member States remain uncertified: Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan, where the disease is still endemic; and Sudan, which is at the precertification stage.
Presentation of certificates
During the plenary session on Monday 19 May, the Director-General will award certificates of appreciation to Member States that during 2024 and the first months of 2025 have met the elimination targets for NTDs. Eleven countries are expected to be honoured.
Official side events
Three official side events related to NTDs will take place. These events require access to the Palais de Nations. You can find more details in WHO’s page dedicated to WHA78 official side events.
| Date, time and venue | Event title and hosts | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 22 May 2025 12:30−13:50 Room VII, Palais des Nations | 29. Snakebite Envenoming: Reaching our 2030 target Hosts: Kenya, Costa Rica, Ghana, Egypt, Wellcome Trust | The WHA is an ideal platform for member states, agencies and key stakeholders to review the significant progress made so far with regards to Snakebite R&D, public health, regulatory frameworks, and provides a chance to showcase successful advocacy approaches. This side event also provides an opportunity to formally present the mission of the Global Snakebite Taskforce (GST) and to catalyse action amongst WHO member States towards sustainable action based on success and lessons learnt so far. |
| Thursday 22 May 2025 19:30−20:50 Room VII, Palais des Nations | 37. Adapting to climate change to end infectious diseases: needs, best practices, innovations and resources Hosts: Medicines for Malaria Venture (MVV), France, Rwanda, AMREF Health Africa, UNITAID | Climate change is a major threat to eliminating climate-sensitive infectious diseases which are part of the SDG3 targets. The epidemiology of these diseases is changing due to climate change, and the occurrence of deadly outbreaks has intensified. Political attention, financing, strategies and tools in climate change adaptation are needed to go back on track on the disease elimination path. With COP30 coming up and the expected increased attention on adaptation and health, this event will contribute to fill awareness gaps, highlight good practices and innovation opportunities, and promote the mobilization of a community of interest and commitment in programmatic development, funding and advocacy. |
| Saturday 24 May 12:30−13:50 Room VII, Palais des Nations | 46. Neglected Tropical Diseases: Success Under Threat Hosts: Helen Keller Int., Task Force for Global Health, Tanzania | By the end of 2024, 54 countries had eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD). In just the last 15 years, the number of people requiring treatment for NTDs has decreased by 25%. But these strides are now under threat with the largest donor to NTDs worldwide cutting global health programmes. In the face of these new challenges, this event aims to bring together a diverse panel of experts from across the global NTD community to celebrate and learn from successes and discuss new approaches and partnerships that could help continue our progress to achieve control and elimination of NTDs. |
Non-official side events
A large number of non-official side events will take place during WHA78 in different venues across Geneva. These events are convened by a diverse range of hosts. Those interested in attending should get in touch with them.
| Date, time and venue | Event title and hosts | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 18 May 2025 10:30−13:30 Restaurant Vieux-Bois, Avenue de la Paix 12 | Snakebite envenoming : reaching our 2030 targets Host: Ministry of Health, Kenya | The objective of this meeting is to build visibility for snakebite on the global health agenda |
| Sunday 18 May 2025 17:30−19:30 Restaurant Vieux-Bois, Avenue de la Paix 12 | Shared progress: how collaborative philanthropy can accelerate country-led health goals Host: Mohammed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity | Under the theme Shared Progress: How Collaborative Philanthropy Can Accelerate Country-led Health Goals, the reception will convene country representatives; global health leaders; philanthropic organizations; and multilaterals to discuss how countries and donors can work collaboratively to forge new pathways for global health progress. |
| Monday 19 May 2025 13:00−14:30 Centre d’Accueil de la Genève Internationale (CAGI), La Pastorale, Route de Ferney 106 | Protecting Progress: Integration for Infectious Disease Elimination in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape Host: Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) | The global health landscape is undergoing tectonic shifts, driven largely by the recent significant changes in traditional donor priorities. This, compounded by ongoing challenges of climate change and humanitarian crises threatens to erode decades of progress in eliminating preventable infectious diseases such as malaria, polio, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Given this new reality, integration—both across disease programs and within broader health and development efforts—has never been more urgent. |
| Tuesday 20 May 2025 08:00−10:00 Hôtel Royal, Rue de Lausanne 41 | Health financing : what now ? What next? Insights from malaria, dengue & NTDs Hosts: Health Finance Coalition (HFC); Malaria No More; and the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases (ISNTD) | The world is witnessing major shifts in the global health landscape. Among these, the decrease in donor funding for climate-sensitive infectious and tropical diseases on the one hand, and the explosive growth of health threats such as arboviruses including dengue, as well as the persistent threat of malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) on communities worldwide are likely to be among the most defining factors of future health policy. |
| Tuesday 20 May 2025 17:00−19:00 Pavillon Gallatin, Domaine de Penthes, Route de Pregny 26 | 5 Billion Mectizan Treatments Donated and Counting Hosts: Mectizan Donation Program, Task Force for Global Health | The event will celebrate the tremendous progress made towards the elimination of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, notably the 5 billion ivermectin (Mectizan) treatments that have been donated. Since 1987 MSD and the Mectizan Donation Program have provided Mectizan to eliminate onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis worldwide. |
| Tuesday 20 May 2025 18:00−20:00 Hôtel Président Wilson, Quai Wilson 47 | Skin diseases as a global public health priority Hosts: International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations (GlobalSkin), International League of Dermatology Societies (ILDS), Anesvad Foundation, Health Diplomacy Alliance | The event will discuss the importance of addressing skin diseases as a public health problem, and will provide critical discussions on the groundbreaking WHA resolution, "Skin Diseases as a Global Health Priority”. |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 08:00−09:30 Restaurant Vieux-Bois, Avenue de la Paix 12 | Strengthening Strategic Partnerships to fight VBDs, NTDs, and Emerging Infectious Diseases Hosts: Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Assoc. (JPMA), Permanent Mission of Japan, IFPMA | As the field of global health undergoes significant transformation, we aim to raise global awareness of the challenges and solutions related to infectious diseases such as VBDs, NTDs, and emerging infectious diseases that have long affected LMICs. As part of this effort, we would like to overview the progress made and the challenges we face, as well as showcase strategic initiatives/contributions in this field by governments, private sector and international organizations |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 09:00−13:30 Campus Biotech Innovation Park, Avenue de Sécheron 15 | Economics of elimination and NTDs Host: Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE) | The event will initiate an International Economics Working Group (IEWG) dialogue, share current work, and explore collaboration on the economics of elimination and neglected tropical diseases. |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 12:00−15:00 Geneva Press Club, Domaine de Penthes, Chemin de l’Impératrice 18 | Accelerating NTD elimination through country-driven efforts and cross-border collaboration Hosts: Global Onchocerciasis Network for Elimination (GONE), African Union, END Fund, DNDi Member State Leadership: Cameroon, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda | The purpose of the meeting is to share progress and celebrate successes of NTD elimination milestones, share cross-border collaboration examples, celebrate the endorsement of cross-border agreements and a Call for Action which will inspire and further enhance cross-border and multi-disease collaboration to accelerate progress towards global disease elimination targets. Ministers of Health of Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda will sign a MoU to End VL in Africa. The event will stress the importance of country ownership and strategies to reach NTD public health target and to mitigate the risk of losing the gains made over the past decades, highlighting the opportunity of the implementation of the proposed resolution on skin diseases at WHA78. A signature of an MoU for Visceral Leishmaniasis in East African countries will take place during the ceremony. |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 18:00−20:00 Hõtel Royal, Rue de Lausanne 41 | Roundtable dinner: The Future of Funding for NTDs Hosts: The END Fund, DEVEX | The event will be hosted by Kate Warren EVP and Executive Editor, Devex and Dr Solomon Zewdu, CEO, The END Fund. The roundtable dinner will bring together a select group of 10–12 senior stakeholders from the private sector, philanthropy, global health, policy and international financing organizations to engage in meaningful dialogue , enabling key decision-makers to share insights, align priorities and identify actions to accelerate progress in combating NTDs. Roundtable dinner: The Future of Funding for NTDS |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 18:30−19:30 Colladon Parc Restaurant, Chemin Colladon 5, Petit-Saconnex | Reception for countries endemic for dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) and in pre-certification Guinea Hosts: Ministry of Health, Chad and The Carter Center | The reception will be an occasion to celebrate the tremendous progress toward eradication, rally behind the WHA Resolution being voted on, reflect on commitments made in the Abu Dhabi Declaration and N’Djamena Commitment, and look ahead to what remains to achieve Guinea worm eradication by the year 2030. |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 18:30−20:30 The International Red Cross & Red Crescent Museum, Geneva, Avenue de la Paix 17 | “A seat at the table” – art installation Hosts: Gilead Sciences, Harvard Medical School Center for Primary Care Program in Global Primary Health Care, International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) and UNAIDS | Frontline AIDS in collaboration with the Female Genital Schistosomiasis Integration Group (FIG), Education as a Vaccine, Alliance for Public Health, and LVCT Health will contribute artwork to this important event. It will feature stories and an art installation that bring the importance of people-centered care into focus— addressing the imbalance of power in which people with lived experience of disease are too often left out of health system decision-making. |
| Wednesday 21 May 2025 18:30−21:00 Hôtel Mandarin Oriental, Quai Turrettini 1 | Ministerial summit: REACH network Hosts: Nigeria, REACH Network (Chairs: Minister Muhammad Ali Pate [Nigeria] and Professor Samba Sow [former Minister of Health, Mali]) | The event is convened to reinforce ministerial commitment from existing REACH countries and expand the network's impact by engaging potential new member countries. It will emphasize integrated, equitable and evidence-driven child survival strategies, particularly mass drug administration of azithromycin |
| Thursday 22 May 2025 08:00−10:00 Hôtel Président Wilson, Quai Wilson 47 | Surveillance and innovation for dengue & arboviruses: international unity to avert future health emergencies Host: the International Society for Neglected Tropical Diseases | The event will focus on updates on the progression of the arboviral threat worldwide (dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, Oropouche fever), will provide a platform for Member States to make statements on arboviruses experiences and collaborative surveillance strategies, will enable discussions among participants, will serve as a forum for exchange of best practices and networking among participants |
| Thursday 22 May 2025 12:00−14:00 Hôtel Intercontinental, Chemin du Petit-Saconnex 7−9 | Innovation Meets Unity: Advancing Global Health Solutions for Africa Host: Merck KGaA, Circle Diplomatique Genève | Global health leadership discussion to discuss diminished engagement with multilateral institutions which has resulted in weakened health systems in Africa and diminished international support |