WHO opens annual assembly amid Ebola and hantavirus outbreaksEbola and hantavirus outbreaks
The World Health Organization opened its annual assembly in Geneva on May 18 as member states confronted Ebola and hantavirus outbreaks. The meeting also took place amid uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals and wider funding cuts, which matter because they could weaken the agency’s ability to coordinate global disease response.
WHO and health experts
WHO officials and public health experts say the assembly shows the agency is still functioning under pressure and can still coordinate during emergencies. They argue that the outbreaks underline the need for a stronger, better-funded global health system.
Member states facing withdrawals
Some governments see the planned US and Argentinian departures as part of a broader push to reduce spending and rethink multilateral commitments. They also point to reform efforts inside the WHO as a sign that the agency must adapt to keep support.
- Geneva is also home to the European headquarters of the United Nations.
- The WHO was founded in 1948 after World War II.
- Ebola takes its name from a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
