Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly – Daily Update: 27 May 2023

The first global strategy for infection prevention and control

The World Health Assembly agreed today on the first global strategy for infection prevention and control (IPC), building on nearly two decades of efforts led by WHO and partners. The strategy provides strategic guidance to Member States to significantly reduce the ongoing risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), including those showing antibiotic resistance.

HAIs are among the most common adverse events that occur in the context of healthcare delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent large outbreaks of diseases such as Ebola virus disease, Middle East respiratory syndrome and Sudanese virus disease have clearly exposed the existing gaps in IPC programs in all countries.

The strategy sets out a clear vision: by 2030, everyone who accesses or provides healthcare is safe from associated infections. Its three key goals are: yes prevent infection in health care; to act ensure the establishment and implementation of the IPC program; and Coordinate IPC activities with other areas and sectors.

The strategy is aimed at any environment in which health care is provided, through the health system; it is based on the principle of clean and safe care as a fundamental component of the right to health, which is based on equity and should ensure accountability and sustainability.

The IPC Global Strategy will be complemented and used alongside the associated Global Action Plan and Monitoring Framework to be developed in 2023-2024.

Related document

EB152/9
Draft Global Strategy on Infection Prevention and Control, Executive Summary Report of the Director-General

Related link

WHO works on infection prevention and control

The historic solution paves the way for strengthening rehabilitation in health systems

Today, the World Health Assembly adopted a significant resolution on strengthening rehabilitation in health systems. Rehabilitation services play a key role in ensuring the enjoyment of human rights including the highest possible standard of physical and mental health. It also promotes sexual and reproductive health and recognizes the right to work and the right to education.

This landmark resolution aims to address challenges in rehabilitation such as the need for:

• increase awareness of rehabilitation when setting health priorities and research programs, allocating funds, promoting collaboration and enabling technology transfer;
• ensure that countries are better equipped to respond to sudden increases in rehabilitation needs, including assistive technology due to health emergencies;
• ensure that people in marginalized and vulnerable situations have access to affordable, quality and appropriate rehabilitation services, including assistive technology;
• avoid high out-of-pocket costs for access to rehabilitation services and assistive technology that may cause financial hardship; and
• address the current insufficient level of rehabilitation workforce to serve the needs of the population.

The resolution lists a number of actions to be taken by the WHO Secretariat, such as: publishing a baseline report by the end of 2026 with information on the capacity of Member States to respond to rehabilitation needs; developing goals and indicators for effective coverage of rehabilitation services until 2030; ensuring that adequate resources are allocated within WHO to support Member States in the implementation of technical guidelines and resources; and supporting Member States to integrate rehabilitation and assistive technology into their emergency preparedness and response plans.

The WHO Secretariat will report on progress in the implementation of this resolution to the Health Assembly in 2026, 2028 and 2030.

Related document

EB152/10
Strengthening rehabilitation in healthcare systems

Related link

WHO is working on rehabilitation

The above items were discussed as part of the document A76/7 Rev.1 – Consolidated report of the director general.

Resolution on strengthening diagnostic capacities

On May 26, member states adopted a resolution on strengthening diagnostic capacities in countries and improving access to diagnostic services.

The broad resolution recognizes that diagnostic services are essential for the prevention, surveillance, diagnosis, case management, monitoring and treatment of communicable, non-communicable, neglected tropical and rare diseases, injuries and disabilities. Diagnostics enables accurate identification of the disease, and thus the timely initiation of correct treatments for better health outcomes.

The resolution considers the whole spectrum of “diagnostics”, including both “in vitro” laboratory tests, eg rapid diagnostic tests and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and “non in vitro” diagnostics, eg devices for recording or measuring blood pressure. It covers activities for research and development, production (including local production and technology transfer), regulation, selection and procurement, awareness raising, advocacy and addressing barriers to access in general.

The implementation of the resolution will build on and expand on previous and current work at WHO’s three levels to help countries improve access to diagnostic services. The Secretariat is requested to report on the progress of implementation in 2025.

Related document

EB152/6
Strengthening the diagnostic capacity