Recent health emergencies, including the Ebola and Zika virus outbreaks, serve as a reminder that the threats to global health are constant. They extend beyond the health sector and threaten the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

They underline the importance of better coordinated international action and sustained political and financial commitments to improve global health crises response and capacities. The World Health Organization (WHO) plays a critical role in managing outbreaks and emergencies with health consequences. In this regard, WHO has established its new Health Emergencies Programme, complementing its work in outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies.

With the humanitarian impact of infectious disease outbreaks often extending beyond the health sector, WHO has also been working closely with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and organizations participating in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) on Standard Operating Procedures to guide activation of IASC response tools and mechanisms in these situations.

The briefing will update the Member States on these developments. The briefing will consist of presentations by Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director-General of the World Health Organization, and Mr. Stephen O’Brien, the Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. The briefing will take place on Friday, 11 November 2016 from 12:00 – 13:00p.m in ECOSOC Chamber, UNHQ, New York.

Letter

Statement