On 29 November –  1 December 2021, the Special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) was held in Geneva. The Ukrainian delegation, headed by the Minister of Health of Ukraine V. Liashko,  took part in the Assembly’s session.

In  his statement, the Minister expressed gratitude to the WHO leadership and its entire staff for their selfless work in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic. Viktor Liashko called  upon the international community to ensure  equal distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines in the world and  increased funding of the COVAX Global Mechanism (to date Ukraine has received 7 415 810 doses of vaccines through this Mechanism).

The Minister stressed the importance of the international treaty on pandemic prevention, which will be a great achievement and demonstration of solidarity between countries  in ensuring coordination and partnership to prevent possible pandemics in future, as well as to combat the long-term consequences of the current one.

During this Special session the WHO member-states endorsed the historical decision on establishment of an intergovernmental negotiating body to draft and negotiate a draft of international treaty on pandemic prevention and response. This treaty is aimed to provide for specific measures to prepare and respond to the future health emergencies.