Africa: WHO Chief Urges Parliamentarians to Cut Aid Dependency, Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness

What the report says

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus used remarks to parliamentarians from around the world at the 153rd Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union to call for stronger health systems and less reliance on foreign aid. In the report distributed by AllAfrica and sourced to Capital FM in Nairobi, he said lawmakers should use their legislative and budgetary powers to make universal health coverage a reality and build greater health sovereignty.

Tedros also urged governments to invest more in domestic health capacity so countries are better prepared for future pandemics. He called for stronger parliamentary oversight of pandemic readiness and backed efforts to finish and carry out the WHO Pandemic Agreement. The message came as multilateral cooperation faces pressure and many countries continue to assess how to make health systems more resilient.

He further pressed for political action to protect the right to health and said new technologies, including artificial intelligence, should be developed and used in ways that serve people. The address reflects a broader global health debate: how countries can balance international cooperation with stronger national systems, especially after recent pandemic disruptions. That context is not unique to the report, but it helps explain why the WHO chief is emphasizing domestic investment and preparedness.