May is a hectic time in Switzerland. There’s the Eurovision Song Contest, whose grand finale takes place Saturday, and then the World Health Assembly in Geneva, which kicks off Monday. Aside from karaoke, there won’t be any singing — but there will be, as there is every May, one of the biggest annual events in global health, with about 3,000 people registered to attend as of last week.
According to Dr. Catharina Boehme, WHO assistant director-general for external relations and governance, this year’s WHA will consider some 75 items and subitems, as well as dozens of resolutions and decisions — including on antimicrobial resistance, rare diseases, kidney health, climate change, strengthening the health workforce, regulating the digital marketing of breast milk substitutes, and the importance of mental health and social connection.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to think about all 75. Here are the big-ticket issues we’re watching:
• The adoption of the pandemic treaty. It took negotiators more than three years — and many sleepless nights — to reach a consensus on the text. And now that text and an accompanying resolution for what happens next in the process will be up for adoption by the assembly.
• The World Health Organization’s budget. Just before WHA, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed a reshuffle of his senior management — the third time he’s done so during his term. Tedros is losing several of his assistant directors-general, as well as his deputy, Dr. Mike Ryan. This one was driven by significant cuts in funding, mostly triggered by the United States. WHO hopes its member states will approve another increase in their dues and that its final investment round event next Tuesday will yield more pledges to fill its massive funding gaps.
WHO will even be cutting costs at WHA itself. Gaudenz Silberschmidt, WHO interim director of governing bodies, said during a WHA prebriefing this week that they’re looking to cut back on overtime pay and interpreter fees by having fewer evening sessions and getting others to pay for side events.
• Noncommunicable diseases. The zero draft of a political declaration on noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs — which account for 75% of deaths globally — has been published. WHA78 will thus serve as an opportunity for member states and civil society to exchange views and feedback on the draft, and consider several resolutions about various NCDs as well.
Preview: 6 key issues to watch at the 78th World Health Assembly
Cash grabs
WHO isn’t the only entity that desperately needs more sustainable financing. The abrupt terminations of thousands of USAID awards disrupted health programs in several countries and have forced many health organizations to downsize, restructure, and seriously consider innovative funding mechanisms.
A draft resolution on strengthening health financing at WHA urges countries to raise their domestic spending on health — such as through taxing sugar and tobacco, which are major risk factors for NCDs. This could help countries raise more money and thus reduce their need for external aid, which recent months have shown cannot be relied on.
Meanwhile, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance — another major global health player based in Geneva and is approaching its replenishment in June — is partnering with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank for the first time to multiply the impact of its grants. AIIB intends to make available up to $1 billion in financing as part of the agreement.
Gavi will be mixing its grant resources with AIIB loans, allowing countries, including those that will be transitioning out of Gavi support in the future, to have greater access to financing for health programs such as vaccine procurement.
Gavi wants to have at least two joint projects with AIIB in the next five years and is eyeing partnerships with other multilateral development banks.
Read: Gavi eyes blended financing in new partnership with AIIB
Food for thought
Nutrition, or lack thereof, is an issue intertwined with health at every level. But many countries are failing to integrate nutrition interventions in their health budgets and are unlikely to meet targets set for this year to drastically reduce conditions such as stunting that are linked to malnutrition.
Several member states will be asking the assembly to extend the timeline to reach the targets by 2030 and to limit promotion of breast milk alternatives. But experts say the rethink needs to go further, and that nutrition should also be central to discussions of, for example, health emergencies.
Read: Nutrition issues to watch at the 78th World Health Assembly
One big number
$4.27 billion
—That’s WHO’s proposed budget for the next two years, and it’s 14% lower than its current budget of $4.97 billion for 2024-2025.
So what does that mean? Cuts, cuts, cuts.
Tedros has already announced cuts to his senior management, and WHO is expected to decide on the fate of its directors next. With WHO downsizing from 76 to 34 departments, lots of departures are expected.
Geneva’s workforce will bear the brunt of the cuts. WHO aims to protect the budgets of country offices, but in real terms, the overall country-level budget will also be reduced from $2.44 billion to $2.09 billion.
Read: What you need to know about WHO’s 2026-2027 budget proposal
Related reading: As WHO lays off staff, why is transparency more crucial than ever? (Pro)
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People-watching
One of the things I love about WHA is the chance encounters. As I zoom my way around the Palais des Nations — where the meetings take place — I find myself sharing an escalator ride with Tedros, or standing in line with Pandemic Fund head Priya Basu at the Serpentine Bar, where many delegates hang out in between meetings.
Even the hotel is a maelstrom of big names. At the InterContinental Genève, which has the most crowded lobby every WHA, I often spot high-level officials of governments and senior leaders of some of the biggest global health organizations.
My colleague Sara Jerving has put together a who’s who of key individuals you'll likely encounter at this year’s meetings, including those our team will be closely watching. Here are some of them:
• Tedros. WHO’s leader is a WHA celebrity and was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential health leaders in 2025. But this year, as his organization faces severe funding shortfalls and is forced to restructure, all eyes are on him for clues to his next moves.
• Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu. For the last few years, Ihekweazu has taken on so many hats. Since joining WHO in 2021, he’s led the pandemic intelligence hub in Berlin, then became the deputy executive director of the health emergencies program. Early in the year, Tedros appointed him to serve as acting head of the WHO regional office for Africa, and next month he’s expected to slot into Mike Ryan’s job leading the health emergencies program.
• Winnie Byanyima. UNAIDS has been hit hard by donor funding cuts, particularly from the U.S. As a result, the organization is cutting back on its workforce, with more than half the staff expected to be let go. How will Byanyima steer UNAIDS amid severe funding shortfalls?
• Dr. Precious Matsoso. The co-chair of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate a pandemic agreement is headed to WHA to wrap up what she started three years ago and get the treaty adopted.
• The next WHO regional director for Africa. African health ministers and their representatives will be voting Sunday, May 18, in Geneva on who should lead the regional office.
WHA watch list: Who to follow at this year’s World Health Assembly
Devex Checkup @ WHA78
Our team of global health reporters will be running around Geneva next week, hosting a series of panel sessions and high-level interviews with some important global health leaders.
Sara tells me that one of the panels she’s looking forward to moderating is on the global health impacts of the U.S. foreign aid cuts — including a rundown with Elisha Dunn-Georgiou, the president and CEO of the Global Health Council, about their ongoing lawsuit against the Trump administration.
On May 22, Sara will also be speaking to Dr. Ihekweazu about his new role as executive director of health emergencies.
Check out the full program of Devex @ WHA78. If you are in town, request an invite to join us or register to watch online.
What we’re reading
Dozens of tuberculosis and HIV clinical research sites in South Africa are under threat due to funding cuts by the U.S. National Institutes of Health.[Health Policy Watch]
Hundreds of people have died in a cholera outbreak in Angola. [Africa News]
U.S. lawmakers wrangling the budgets for the Department of Health and Human Services got into some heated exchanges with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., over past false statements about the measles vaccine. [NBC News]
About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
