Apurva Chandra, Union health secretary, Government of India, has been appointed as the Chairperson of the Committee A at the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA), announced by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The Committee A of WHA, the event scheduled to be held from May 27 to June 1 held at Geneva, is chaired by India.
Committee A is tasked with facilitating crucial discussions on a range of programmatic topics. These include universal health coverage, public health emergency preparedness and response, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and sustainable financing for the World Health Organization (WHO).
India’s leadership in Committee A underscores its growing influence in global health governance. The World Health Assembly features sessions from three main committees: Plenary, Committee A, and Committee B. India’s chairmanship of Committee A will continue until June 1.
Addressing the Assembly, which commenced on Monday, Apoorva Chandra highlighted India’s effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also emphasized India’s commitment to the global supply of medicines and health-related products, in line with the philosophy of “One World, One Family.”
Chandra noted that this inclusive vision is central to promoting global well-being, enabling universal health coverage, and achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).