WHO chief urges parliamentarians to cut aid dependency, strengthen pandemic preparedness

Nairobi, Kenya – The World Health Organization’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has urged parliamentarians worldwide to leverage their legislative and budgetary authority to bolster health systems, lessen reliance on foreign aid, and fortify preparedness for future pandemics. Addressing parliamentarians from across the globe at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Tedros emphasized the importance of governments turning universal health coverage into a reality through robust domestic health system investments.

He highlighted that, amid a period of strained multilateralism, health underscores the critical need for continued international cooperation.

Tedros called upon lawmakers to wield their legislative influence to promote universal health coverage and their budgetary influence to foster health sovereignty, thereby diminishing dependency on aid. He further instructed parliamentarians to enhance oversight of pandemic preparedness and back the completion and execution of the WHO Pandemic Agreement.

Additionally, he advocated for political measures to safeguard the right to health and ensure that advances in artificial intelligence and digital technologies are harnessed and deployed in a manner that benefits the populace.

Tedros reiterated the pivotal role of health in uniting people, urging lawmakers to persist in their advocacy for health, equity, and the individuals they represent. He made these remarks as the world grapples with the growing reliance on multilateral cooperation and the urgent necessity to develop resilient, self-sustaining health systems.