Web Briefing for Media: Key Issues Facing the 2015 World Health Assembly, from Ebola to WHO Reform

Every May, the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) come together for the World Health Assembly, a key forum for discussing global health issues.  This year’s Assembly, held in Geneva on May 18-26, is particularly important as member states, including the U.S., reflect on the global response to Ebola, and debate what changes will be adopted in the world’s approach to addressing similar emerging disease threats.  The Assembly will also address other important global health policy issues, such as reform of the WHO, combatting antimicrobial resistance, and how to address the rise in non-communicable diseases around the world.

On May 7 at 12:00 p.m. ET, the Kaiser Family Foundation held an interactive web briefing exclusively for journalists to examine these key issues ahead of the Assembly.

Jimmy Kolker, Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Lawrence O. Gostin, Faculty Director of the O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law at Georgetown University; Ian Smith, Executive Director of the Director-General’s Office at the WHO; and Josh Michaud, Foundation associate director of global health policy provided insights and answered questions. Penny Duckham, executive director of the Foundation’s Media Fellowships Program, moderated, and the majority of the web briefing was devoted to a Q&A session with journalists.

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