The 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) was held on May 19-27, 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHA gathered Member State (MS) representatives, health experts and civil society organisations to discuss and set WHO policies, programmes and budgets. This year’s WHA coincides with a pivotal moment in global health, characterised by the escalating burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) significant challenges in global health funding, as well as emerging and unpredictable threats. The theme of this year’s WHA, ‘One World for Health’ underscored the need for sustained commitment to equity and improving the health of people around the world.
Key highlights from the week
With approximately 75 agenda items and over 40 resolutions and decisions to discuss and approve, this year’s World Health Assembly (WHA) had a full schedule. Among the key topics was an update on the political declaration from the third high-level UN General Assembly meeting on the prevention and control of NCDs. You can read more about our call to action and the Executive Board (EB) discussions on this agenda item here.
Political Declaration ahead of the High-Level Meeting on NCDs and mental health
On May 14, ahead of the WHA, the United Nations released the Zero Draft of the Political Declaration in preparation for the High-Level Meeting on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and well-being, scheduled for September 25, 2025. The Declaration and the upcoming High-Level Meeting represent a crucial opportunity to drive bold and concrete action on diabetes, especially at a time when progress toward global NCD targets has stalled. IDF Europe welcomes the inclusion of the Global Diabetes Targets in the Declaration. However, we urge more targeted action on diabetes and other NCDs that considers their unique challenges while recognising their interconnected nature. We also call for the stronger and more systematic involvement of people living with NCDs in these discussions, to ensure that renewed efforts to address chronic conditions are grounded in their real needs and priorities. Read more about our calls regarding the Political Declaration here.
Pandemic Agreement
On May 20, MS formally adopted the world’s first Pandemic Agreement. This historic milestone marks the culmination of over three years of negotiations initiated in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of strengthening global pandemic preparedness and ensuring more equitable responses to future health emergencies. The Agreement outlines key principles and mechanisms to improve international coordination, including equitable access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics. The adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement marks the beginning of its implementation phase, which includes developing a Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system and establishing a Coordinating Financial Mechanism and Global Supply Chain and Logistics Network. IDF Europe welcomes the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, a critical step in safeguarding the health of people living with diabetes and other NCDs, who faced heightened risks and worse health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Strengthening health financing to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage
WHO financing also took centre stage at this year’s WHA. MS approved a 20% increase in membership contributions and endorsed a US$4.2 billion budget for 2026–2027, marking progress towards more sustainable and predictable funding. However, this approved budget reflects a 22% cut from the originally proposed US$5.3 billion, highlighting the impact of the withdrawal of US funding and ongoing financial constraints faced by many countries. To put the size of the budget into perspective, the entire two-year WHO budget is less than 0.08% of global military expenditure. Ensuring WHO has adequate and reliable funding is essential for its ability to respond to health emergencies, support long-term programmes and deliver on its mission of health for all.
Despite overall declines in global health funding, MS endorsed a resolution to strengthen health financing and accelerate progress towards universal health coverage. The resolution calls for increased domestic investment in health and improved public financial management, with WHO supporting countries through enhanced data, policy guidance and accountability to build resilient, equitable health systems. In a time of uncertainty and reprioritisation of domestic budgets, IDF Europe supports the resolution and calls on MS to strengthen their health financing to ensure sustainable, equitable access to essential health services for all, especially for people living with chronic conditions, including diabetes.
IDF and IDF Europe at WHA side events
Co-organised by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), the “Digital Health Transformation in the Global NCD Response: A Call for Unified Approaches and Scaled Investment” event explored the critical role of digital health in shaping more effective and equitable responses to NCDs. Speakers from the WHO, academia, civil society and ministries of health in Kenya, Tanzania and Sri Lanka presented examples of scalable solutions to improve health systems, reduce fragmentation and address the digital divide. The discussions highlighted the importance of person-centred approaches, cross-sectoral collaboration and meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs in designing digital tools. IDF Europe welcomes the shared commitment to advancing digital health to strengthen NCD prevention and care worldwide.
Elisabeth Dupont, IDF Europe’s Regional Manager, contributed to a panel discussion in a side event organised by the Global Liver Institute, the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) and the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) – “Together for Better Liver Health: Strengthening Public Health Responses to Metabolic Disease.” Elisabeth highlighted the importance of collectively addressing interconnected health challenges. She outlined key achievements in diabetes advocacy, including the European Parliament Resolution on diabetes and the IDF Europe-WHO Europe Declaration, and shared lessons learnt along with strategies to accelerate action on diabetes and other NCDs. IDF Europe remains committed to fostering collaboration across disease areas and working closely with the broader NCD community to improve health outcomes for people living with chronic conditions and those at risk.
Conclusion
The 78th World Health Assembly convened at an important moment amid mounting global health challenges. From structural shifts in WHO funding and the adoption of the Pandemic Agreement to vital conversations on equitable digital health and multisectoral NCD responses, the week underscored both the complexity and urgency of building more inclusive and resilient health systems. IDF Europe remains committed to engaging in these global processes, ensuring that the voices and needs of people living with diabetes and other chronic conditions are considered in the development and implementation of global health strategies.
