8 bold agenda items for the World Health Organization as it turns 75
What should the World Health Organization add to its agenda?
That's a question to ponder as WHO marks its 75th anniversary on April 7.
It's been a storied history: the World Health Organization has helped eradicate smallpox, prevented millions of deaths through its vaccination efforts and condemned attacks on health-care facilities in conflict zones like Ukraine and Tigray, Ethiopia.
It's also weathered its share of criticism, including critiques that it mismanaged the H1N1 flu in 2009 and an Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including understanding the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has received lackluster reviews in some corners.
Today, this U.N. agency, which was founded "to promote and protect the health of all peoples," has set these key priorities: moving toward universal health coverage, improving protection against health emergencies and guaranteeing all people can live healthy lives at all ages.
But those are sweeping goals. What kinds of new initiatives might WHO adopt We asked eight global health specialists to offer a bold new agenda item to add to WHO's docket. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity.
