Fifty-ninth World Health Assembly

Date: 22-27 May 2006
Location: Geneva, Switzerland

The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body for WHO. It generally meets in Geneva in May each year, and is attended by delegations from all 192 Member States. The main function of the World Health Assembly is to determine the policies of the Organization.

This year, issues to be discussed include: strengthening pandemic-influenza preparedness and response, including the application of the International Health Regulations 2005; infant and young child nutrition; HIV/AIDS; polio eradication; sickle-cell anaemia; smallpox eradication and the destruction of variola virus stocks; prevention of avoidable blindness; international trade and health; tobacco control; and intellectual property rights.

The keynote speaker this year is His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales.