WHA Update & Highlights

The 74th World Health Assembly commenced on 24 May 2021 and concluded its sessions on 31 May 2021. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic the event was held virtually.

During the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly, a series of Strategic Briefings were held virtually. During these sessions, WHA delegates, experts from WHO, partner agencies, and civil society discussed current priorities and next solutions on these vital issues for global public health.

As a non-State actor in official relations with WHO, ISQua was provided the opportunity to post the statement we intended to present at the WHO Governing Bodies meetings and to enable us to make our views known in advance of the debates.

ISQua's Board Member, Bruno Lucet, read the below statement, in relation to Agenda item 13.1 (Global action on patient safety).

Patient safety is a fundamental cornerstone of health care services. It is an essential component of universal health coverage and the sustainable development goals. Every patient has a right to receive safe and respectful care every time. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of patient safety issues like personal protection, medication safety, patient engagement and health worker safety. It has also demonstrated the power of international cooperation and the sharing of learning to address a common, universal issue.

Patient safety is a global health priority. Therefore, ISQua, the International Society for Quality in Health Care, is pleased to support the Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021 – 2030. ISQua commits to facilitate discussion and debate around policies, strategies, and actions to eliminate all sources of avoidable harm to patients and health workers. ISQua will ensure that the guiding principles and values of the Global Patient Safety Action Plan underpin its work in this the decade of Patient Safety. Through its international network, annual conference, education, and external evaluation programmes ISQua will support the dissemination of knowledge of policies, strategies and actions based on scientific expertise and patient experience which reflect both the care setting and collaborative working to eliminate all sources of avoidable harm and risk to patients and health workers.

ISQua will also continue to support the National Quality Policy and Strategy (NQPS) programme to enable Member States to develop strategies for safe person-centred high-quality care.

A full list of all of the presented statements can be found here - https://extranet.who.int/nonstateactorsstatements/meetingoutline/1459

For more information on the World Assembly, and to watch the recorded sessions, please visit https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly/seventy-fourth-world-health-assembly