The World Health Assembly is the supreme decision-making body of the WHO. It meets once a year to determine the Organization’s principal policies on specifically health-related issues and also on the Agency’s internal functioning.

The 62nd session of the World Health Assembly took place in Geneva during 18-22 May 2009. Number of public health issues, including pandemic influenza preparedness, implementation of the International Health Regulations; primary health care, including health system strengthening; social determinants of health; and monitoring the achievement of the health-related Millennium Development Goals were discussed during the 5 days of the health assembly.

Dr. Noor Ahmad Baloch, National Programme Manager, National TB Control Programme, Pakistan has been a technical member of Pakistani delegate, representing Secretary Health.

On behalf of Pakistan, Dr. Baloch proposed an intervention on the resolution on “Prevention and Control of MDR-TB and XDR-TB”, put forward by China to the Assembly, based on the outcomes from the Ministerial Meeting of High M/XDR-TB Burden Countries, held in Beijing in April 2009, and its Call For Action.