For the third consecutive year, the Higher Institute of Public Health (ISSP) at the Saint Joseph University of Beirut (USJ) proudly took part in the official Lebanese delegation to the 78^th World Health Assembly (WHA78), headed by H.E. Dr. Rakan Nasreddine, Minister of Public Health. The delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as the Permanent Mission of Lebanon in Geneva and the Lebanese Embassy in Bern. The event took place at the UN headquarters in Geneva – the historic Palais des Nations – from May 18 to 23, 2025.

Held under the theme “One World for Health,” WHA78 brought together global health leaders and stakeholders to discuss the future of health cooperation, with a central focus on the “Pandemic Agreement.” This landmark agreement, adopted by consensus following three years of consultation and debate among WHO member states, aims to strengthen preparedness and response to future global health threats by enhancing collaboration and ensuring a more equitable response.

Prof. Michèle Kosremelli Asmar, Director of ISSP, represented the Institute at WHA78, along with Prof. Walid Ammar, Director of the PhD in Public Health program, Dr. Ibrahim Bou Orm, Academic Coordinator of the PhD program, as well as Ms. Rima Abou Tarieh and Mrs. Marie-Rose Karam, both current PhD candidates at the Institute.

In his capacity as Chair of the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee (IOAC) of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, Prof. Ammar congratulated the Assembly on the adoption of the Pandemic Agreement, describing it as “a historic milestone for a unified approach to global health security and a testament to the success of multilateralism.” He also urged member states to ratify the agreement through their respective governments, and to promptly finalize the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS).

As members of the Lebanese delegation, both PhD candidates had the opportunity to address the Assembly.

Ms. Abou Tarieh thanked the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for its work in finalizing the agreement and for the accelerated efforts since 2021. She welcomed the agreement’s focus on “One Health, local production, and workforce development,” while emphasizing that “countries with limited resources and strained health systems, like ours, require tailored support to effectively prevent and respond to future health threats.”

Mrs. Karam reaffirmed Lebanon’s determination to fully implement the International Health Regulations (IHR) and to increase its national capacities despite ongoing financial challenges. “Lebanon witnessed successive crises since 2019, and experienced one of the worst humanitarian emergencies of its recent history during the most brutal 2024 war,” she stated. “Yet, the Public Health Emergency Operations Center, established with WHO support, was strengthened and played a crucial role in the response.” She went on to highlight the important role of the international solidarity Lebanon received, and called for “targeted training of healthcare personnel to strengthen hospital capacity in crisis response.” 

This engagement reflects ISSP’s commitment to advancing public health not only through education and research, but also through active participation in global health diplomacy.

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