Jordan Leads Health Resolutions at World Health Assembly

Amman: Committee B, led by Jordan during the 77th World Health Assembly, presented decisions on the Palestinian issue and other matters related to the financial, administrative, legal, and governance aspects of the World Health Organization (WHO). Minister of Health Firas Hawari, in his speech at the Assembly's closing ceremony on Saturday evening, highlighted the historical significance of this session. The decision to grant Palestine membership rights, in line with United Nations General Assembly resolutions, was a landmark step towards realizing the session's theme, "Health for All and All for Health," he added. The Assembly adopted international consensus proposals from the Arab Group, including Jordan, condemning attacks on medical and humanitarian facilities and personnel by the occupying Israeli authority, in violation of international law. It also endorsed the necessary interim measures ordered by the International Court of Justice, urging Israel to cooperate fully with the United Nations to provide essential services and humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, including food, water, electricity, fuel, and medical supplies. Further resolutions recalled the International Court of Justice's provisional measures, emphasizing the severe humanitarian impact of Israel's military operations post-October 7, which resulted in numerous casualties and the destruction of vital infrastructure. The Jordanian delegation held several bilateral meetings, notably with Palestinian Health Minister Maged Abu Ramadan. During the meeting, Hawari reiterated Jordan's commitment to achieving a permanent cessation of aggression against Gaza and emphasized the importance of early planning to rehabilitate Gaza's health sector. Ramadan expressed gratitude to Jordan and His Majesty King Abdullah II for their support and outlined health priorities for the future. The delegation also met with Hanan Balkhi, Director of the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, to discuss urgent plans for supporting Gaza's health sector, emphasizing the need for a clear, donor-supported implementation plan. The Jordanian delegation also co-sponsored a high-level meeting with Spanish Health Minister Monica Gomez on the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity. Jordan, having hosted the first inter-regional dialogue for the Plan in 2022, remains committed to addressing the obesity epidemic through early detection, education, behavior change, and treatment to combat related chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer, said Hawari. Hawari also engaged with officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and the Director of the WHO Department of Social Determinants of Health to explore avenues for cooperation. Source: Jordan News Agency