Global Health Architecture reform

The global health architecture (GHA) – the overall system of rules, mechanisms and processes of countries, organizations and agencies that shape health worldwide – has not kept pace with major shifts in national sovereignty and regional capacity, disease burdens, science and digital technologies, and the decline in global health financing. The proliferation of global health actors has also contributed to fragmented mandates and other challenges.

In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board requested a joint reform process that would bring together parallel initiatives. Following written consultations, Member State briefings and engagement with global health institutions and other stakeholders including from civil society, a proposal was submitted to this year’s seventy-ninth World Health Assembly (WHA).

The WHA established a one-year, WHO-hosted and Member State-led Joint Process to develop options, recommendations and a GHA reform road map for consideration by the governing bodies of WHO and participating organizations. Composed of 24 members, the Joint Task Force will develop a draft paper by November 2026 to be finalized in the next WHA in May 2027.

This virtual side event at the seventy-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (RCM77) will convey information to Member States and partners on the GHA reform process, and capture their views on GHA topics from the Joint Task Force.

Objectives

• Give time for partner organizations to present their views on the GHA reform.
• Give space for Pacific island countries and areas to voice their deliberations on the topic.
• Capture comments on two questions from the GHA Joint Task Force to be presented during the Regional Committee Meeting.
• Convey findings to the GHA Joint Task Force through the Co-chair and Joint Task Force representatives from the WHO Western Pacific Region.

This event will be livestreamed on X, Facebook, YouTube and the RCM77 web page.