World Health Authority
 | |
 WHA Flag | |
| Abbreviation | WHA |
|---|---|
| Formation | January 6, 2009; 17 years, 148 days |
| Type | World Assembly agency |
| Legal status | Active |
| Headquarters | WA Headquarters |
The World Health Authority, or WHA, is an agency of the World Assembly (WA) based at the WA Headquarters in sovereign WA territory. Its stated purpose at its creation was to monitor, identify, and manage threats to global health, and to coordinate international response to threats to public health. Since then, additional duties have been added to its remit by the General Assembly, with various pieces of legislation also creating child agencies of the WHA which are tasked with specific responsibilities.
The WHA maintains offices in most World Assembly member nations, with some more specialised tasks forces located in nations experiencing significant public health issues, or other problems under the purview of the WHA or its child agencies. As with other World Assembly agencies, all member states are under the responsibility of the World Health Authority.
History
The World Health Authority was established upon the passage of General Assembly Resolution #31 on 06 January 2009. Proposed by the delegation from the nation of Belarum, it followed a number of resolutions concerned with the health and wellbeing of people within World Assembly member states, including on topics such as the coordination of relief aid[1], the transportation of medical aid and supplies[2], and regulations on the treatment of the ill in member states' territory[3].
| WA General Assembly Resolution 31 | |
|---|---|
| Date | 06 January 2009 |
| Code | GA#31 |
| Title | World Health Authority |
Voting summary | 3,284 voted for 838 voted against |
| Result | Adopted |
| Status | Extant |
The WHA was originally tasked with a very limited and defined mission, namely:
- to identify, assess, and communicate current and emerging threats to global health;
- to actively research treatment, cures, and preventative measures concerning threats to global health; and,
- to coordinate efforts between WA member states in preventing and controlling serious health concerns.
The World Health Authority was originally intended as a replacement for the defunct United Nations Center for Disease Prevention and Control, which had ceased to exist upon the collapse of the United Nations, and indeed has the very same similar aims. However, later delegations built upon this basic foundation and added more responsibilities, such as biomedical education and innovation, and regulation for animal experimentation among others.
Activities
Health Research & Development Division
Epidemic and Pandemic Alert and Response Center
Biomedical research
Commission on Biological Agents
Antimicrobial Resistance Workgroup
Animal Experimentation Board
The World Health Authority Animal Experimentation Board, or AEB, was created on 26 May 2020 with the passage of General Assembly Resolution #489 to regulate and restrict the usage of animal experimentation in scientific research or product development. The resolution also explicitly tasks the AEB with working to identify alternatives to animal research, giving the body a scientific function rather than a solely regulatory or administrative one.
In addition to its supervisory and research duties, the AEB is also tasked with referring institutions who do not comply with the resolution to the World Assembly Compliance Commission; all institutions or companies that use animal research in line with the provisions of the resolution are required to report such instances of animal use to the AEB, who then makes an initial determination as to whether or not the resolution was complied with.
World Medications Council
General Assembly Resolution #582 established the World Medications Council (WMC) under the auspices of the WHA on 31 October 2021. Via this child agency, the WHA was tasked with the mission of improving access to safe, cost-effective, and efficacious medicine in all member nations. This resolution tasked the WMC with creating and maintaining an Effective Medications List; essentially, amongst other things, compiling a list of medicines, their use and prescription properties (including dosage), and their cost points to disseminate to member nations.
The WHA was also, through the WMC, tasked with assessing the safety and efficacy of all medicines, current and future, making it the international agency responsible for the regulation and supervision of the use and distribution of therapeutic and pharmaceutical products in all member states.