On the occasion of the 70th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA70), Ambassador Raz Shechter addressed the Plenary. She highlighted Israel's top health system and policies, the role of the international community and the politicization of the WHO.
Statement delivered by Ambassador Aviva Raz Shechter, Permanent Representative of Israel
Mister Vice-President,
Honorable Ministers and Ambassadors,
Honorable Delegates,
Let me first convey our deepest condolences of the State of Israel to the families of the victims and to the People of the United Kingdom.
The World Health Organization is a leading actor in global health. In recent years, the international community has encountered numerous health and humanitarian crises. In addition, the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development put health front and center, and showed the role health plays in the economy, the environment, culture and so forth. Considering these developments, the WHO faces unprecedented demands from states, businesses and civil society to expand and pursue its mandate.
It is therefore critical for member states to promote the health of their citizens as a top priority. It is also important for countries to see health as a prominent issue in their foreign policy, to help those less fortunate around the world.
Israel's public health system is one of the most advanced in the world.
Israel has broad experience in infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response, and played an important role in the global fight against Ebola through financial contributions, medical equipment and staff training. As such outbreaks continue to threaten the capacity of local health systems, it is crucial to remain vigilant on the international level.
Israeli professionals have wide experience in preparedness and response to public health emergencies. For years, Israel dispatched emergency medical teams to disaster areas around the world, and Israel's EMT’s and Field Hospital were awarded the highest ranking by the WHO - Type 3 classification – last November.
Israel is also a leader in treating war injuries, and in the last few years has treated thousands of Syrians – children, women and the elderly – who were wounded in the vicious Syrian conflict just across our borders. Israeli medical staff provided life-saving surgery and care, with some patients spending over a year in Israeli facilities until full recovery.
In addition, the Israeli Ministry of Health is actively promoting a national program for healthy eating habits and lifestyle, mainly focused on childhood obesity. This is joined by different advocacy campaigns for the prevention and proper treatment of non-communicable diseases.
These priorities come together with the Israeli government's innovative policies to counter ageism and to include older persons in their communities; cutting-edge technologies to better the lives of persons with disabilities; and the vibrant social entrepreneurship and civil society which make sure that with progress, nobody is left behind.
As the permanent representative of the State of Israel, I would like to thank outgoing Director General Chan, for her dedication to this organization and its professional goals. Her tireless work on multiple fronts has made the world a safer, healthier place, and we hope these trends will continue under her successor. I would like to take this platform as an opportunity to congratulate Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, on his election.
I would also like to thank Dr. Zsuzsanna Jakab, the director of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, for her sincere commitment and constant cooperation with the Israeli Ministry of Health on all levels.
I remain concerned about the levels of politicization in the WHO. This professional agency is too often hijacked by political agendas. Instead of prioritizing the most pressing global health issues we find ourselves wasting time and resources on Member States’ narrow interests. By doing so, the WHO fails those individuals who are in dire need of health services, and undermines its credibility as a global leader.
Israel was, is, and always will be dedicated to promoting the underlying goals of the United Nations – peace, prosperity and dignity for all. These are founded on every individual's personal and physical safety, because nothing is more important than good health.
I would like to end by calling upon all member states to focus on the real goal of this organization, and to cooperate on all levels so that good health will be available to people all over the world.
Thank you.