Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa has been elected president of the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), marking a historic first for the Philippines, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced.
The WHA, held from May 19 to 27 in Geneva, gathers global health leaders to address urgent health issues, including the adoption of a Pandemic Agreement and a Philippine-led resolution on the global health workforce.
In his opening address, Herbosa urged nations to move beyond transactional partnerships to transformational collaborations, especially in tackling the projected shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030.
He emphasized the WHO’s central role in providing technical support and promoting equitable health workforce development.
Herbosa’s leadership reflects the Philippines’ commitment to global health cooperation, aligned with its Eight-Point Action Agenda for Health 2023–2028.
Source: PhilNews24 | May 21, 2025
