Due to the covid-19 pandemic, plans have been significantly changed for the 2020 World Health Assembly, compared to the agenda adopted by the WHO Executive Board at the beginning of the year.

Preparation for NCDs at the 73^rd World Health Assembly (WHA)

Due to the covid-19 pandemic, plans have been significantly changed for the 2020 World Health Assembly, compared to the agenda adopted by the WHO Executive Board at the beginning of the year. For the first time, Ministers of Health will convene online by videoconference, rather than in person at the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva. The Assembly will convene from midday (CET) on Monday 18 May, closing no later than Tuesday 19 May. An abridged agenda for the May meeting has been accepted by the Executive Board, which focuses on the covid-19 response as well as necessary governance decisions, including election of members of the Executive Board.

Non-State Actors in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) have received invitations to register delegates for the videoconference and to submit written statements (there is no option to present oral statements). The Assembly will also be broadcast live and the recording will be made available via the WHA73 web page along with all meeting documents, and so available to the public without need for registration. Whilst no official side events will take place during the WHA in May, the annual WHO Walk the Talk event will take place online on Sat 16 and Sun 17 May, and some virtual events have been announced by other health organisations for later in the week.  NCD Alliance is currently updating a calendar of online events to share with members.

Negotiations are ongoing for a draft WHA73 Resolution on the covid-19 response, on the basis of a proposal led by the European Union. The current draft includes clear language on the need to give particular consideration to the impact of covid-19 on people living with NCDs and other pre-existing health conditions (e.g. HIV/AIDs, TB, disabilities, maternal and child health conditions) and the need to ensure undisrupted essential public health services for NCDs throughout the covid response.

NCD Alliance has released a Briefing Note on impacts of covid-19 on people living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) to support inclusion of NCDs in the negotiations and has kicked off a special webinar series on covid-19. We also hosted a well-attended media briefing, particularly highlighting the views of PLWNCDs, which has led to excellent press coverage including AFP, Hindustan Times, and The Guardian Nigeria.

NCD Alliance Civil Society Advocacy Briefing and Workshop: NCDs at the 73rd World Health Assembly and Beyond: Advocacy for inclusion of NCDs in global, regional and national Covid-19 responses

Ahead of WHA73, the NCD Alliance will host an advocacy briefing and workshop for members, on Friday 15 May.  The event offers civil society members a chance to learn more about the agenda of WHA73 and proposed Resolution on the covid-19 response.

The Resolution will ask governments, supported by WHO, to develop national response plans to covid-19, including health systems strengthening and undisrupted provision of essential health services for people living with NCDs and mental health conditions.

The multisectoral national action plans are to be developed with a whole-of-society approach. A workshop session will explore this key opportunity for PLWNCDs, communities and civil society to be meaningfully engaged in decision-making and development of response plans.

Reconvening WHA73 later in 2020

For agenda items which are no longer on the agenda for the May session, government representatives will be asked to consider reconvening WHA73 later in 2020. In relation to NCDs, these items pending WHA decisions and resolutions, notably including a Resolution on cervical cancer elimination, a Resolution on eye care, preventable blindness and impaired vision, a report on follow-up to the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs of 2018 and a decisions on the Decade  of Healthy Ageing and on maternal, infant and child nutrition.  The reconvened session may also be asked to consider a new Resolution on revision of the International Health Regulations in light of covid-19.