Malaysia’s Participation in the 78th World Health Assembly
YB Minister of Health, Datuk Seri Dr. Haji Dzulkefly Ahmad led the Malaysian delegation to the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) held in Geneva from 19 to 27 May 2025.
The World Health Assembly (WHA) serves as the highest decision-making authority of the World Health Organization (WHO), convening annually to establish its policies. The theme for this year's WHA is "One World for Health."
At the plenary session, YB Minister carried the voice of ASEAN by delivering a joint statement that reaffirms its commitment to a stronger, equitable, and resilient health system regionally and globally. For the national statement, YB Minister emphasized Malaysia's commitment to addressing global health issues and contributing to a more inclusive, digital, and resilient health system for both the nation’s citizen and the global community. In addition, this year’s event marked a particularly significant milestone as Malaysia received the World No Tobacco Day 2025 Award highlighting Malaysia's contribution in advancing tobacco control efforts. Complementing this achievement, the Assembly also adopted the Malaysia-led resolution on Promoting and Prioritizing an Integrated Lung Health Approach further underscoring the growing international momentum toward protecting respiratory health.
Amidst the busy schedule of the Assembly, YB Minister held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Palestine and Norway to discuss health cooperation particularly on pharmaceutical sectors, digital health, clinical research, organ transplantation, rare disease, hospital DRG system and health workforce capacity building. YB Minister also paid a courtesy call on WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to discuss issues of pandemic preparedness, sustainable health financing and regional health strategy. He also held discussions with GAVI and MPP teams on access to life saving medicines and vaccine solidarity.
YB Minister participated as speakers in the few side events at the sideline of the Assembly namely:
(i) From Resolution to Action: Acting Early on Lung Cancer - Lung Health for All
(ii) Improving UHC through the implementation of WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 – 2034
(iii) Strengthening continuum of care to achieve UHC
(iv) The integrated lung health resolution, creating a unified approach to prevention, early identification and care
(v) Milestones and Momentum in Rare Diseases: 10 Years of Progress, 10 Years of Possibility
Malaysia was proud to organize a side event themed Countdown to the UNHLM on NCDs: From Bangkok to New York: “Advancing universal health coverage for oral health by 2030". The event aims to convey the message that ‘there is no health without oral health’ – a principle that contained in the Bangkok Declaration and serves as a guide in Malaysia’s comprehensive approach to Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
The 78th World Health Assembly marked a historic milestone as Member States unanimously adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement. This agreement aims to enhance global protection against future pandemic threats and seeks to strengthen the global health framework for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, ensuring equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Additionally, Member States will negotiate a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system through an Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG), with the outcome of this process to be reviewed at next year’s World Health Assembly.
