Artificial intelligence holds enormous promise for health. @WHO welcomes today’s announcement of the Seoul Declaration on #AI in Healthcare for Responsible Innovation and Global Solidarity: cdn-auth-cms.who.int/media-a… Safe and sustainable AI depends on strong foundations: secure infrastructure, well-governed data, capable regulators, sustainable financing and stronger cybersecurity. @WHO is supporting countries in building these foundations through the Global Initiative on AI for Health and the upcoming Global Strategy on Digital Health 2028–2033. Guided by the Seoul Declaration’s principles of human dignity and global equity, our collective responsibility is to translate this promise into AI for health systems that are safe, effective and worthy of patients’ trust.

I met with Republic of #Korea’s Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young to discuss health equity and global health security. No one is safe from health threats until everyone is safe. I commend 🇰🇷’s commitment to improving access to treatment in low- and middle-income countries. We agreed that peace is essential to achieving #HealthForAll. The best medicine is peace.

I am very delighted to meet @ENHYPEN JUNGWON, JAY, JAKE, SUNGHOON, SUNOO, and NI-KI in person in Seoul 🇰🇷 today. Thank you for your work and commitment in promoting blood donation with @WHO I look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future, and perhaps next time you will come to visit me and my colleagues in Geneva.

#France has reported the first documented case of a human infection with #Shamonda virus, a virus only previously detected in animals. The patient was immunocompromised, which made them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease, and unfortunately died. My heartfelt condolences to their loved ones. Shamonda virus primarily affects animals such as cattle, sheep, goats and horses. The virus is thought to spread between animals by the bites of a midge, which is a small fly-like insect. Further studies are needed to fully understand transmission. The French patient was in an area where the Shamonda virus was circulating in animals and where Culicoides midges were also present. @WHO is in contact with French authorities who are collecting information to better understand the source of infection in the first human patient, possible routes of transmission and any potential risk to public health.

Access to safe, effective, quality-assured and affordable medicines is fundamental to universal health coverage. Strong national systems are essential, but some access challenges are better addressed when countries work together.  Regional cooperation has proven its value. Different regions have developed approaches suited to their contexts. I encouraged @WHO Western Pacific Member States to be ambitious and work toward effective solutions that improve access to medicines suited to the Region. #RC77

Vaccines have saved more than 150 million lives over the past 50 years. But this progress is under threat from funding cuts, conflicts, climate change and misinformation. With #measles outbreaks in dozens of countries, immunity gaps anywhere can threaten health security everywhere. At the same time, innovation offers new hope: malaria vaccines are being rolled out, promising tuberculosis vaccines are in development, and new Ebola vaccines against Bundibugyo virus are approaching trials. But vaccines only save lives when people can access and trust them. @WHO calls on governments, scientists, health workers, industry, technology companies and communities to work together to ensure everyone has access to accurate, evidence-based vaccine information. Everyone, everywhere, at every age deserves the protection vaccines offer. #VaccinesWork

Lead exposure harms multiple body systems, especially in young children and women of childbearing age. In 2023 alone, it was linked to more than 3.5 million deaths globally. Recognizing this urgent public health threat, @WHO Member States have mandated the development of a Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation, to be presented at the 2027 World Health Assembly. This International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, I urge all countries to accelerate action to prevent lead exposure and save lives!

My thanks to #Japan’s Health Vice-Minister Yasuhiro Suzuki for 🇯🇵's continued leadership on universal health coverage, including through the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo that is strengthening health-finance collaboration. We agreed on the importance of @WHO continuing to #StandWithScience to deliver #HealthForAll. My ask to the Minister was to help bring the Pandemic Agreement negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex to a successful conclusion. #RC77

My sincere thanks to Republic of #Korea's President @Jaemyung_Lee for his warm welcome and 🇰🇷's steadfast partnership with @WHO. We discussed the WHO Biomanufacturing Training Hub in Seoul, which has trained over 4,000 professionals from 100 countries. It was an honour to inaugurate its first building yesterday, with the President's strong support. We also discussed harnessing AI for better health, including through today's Seoul Declaration on #AI in Healthcare, with a focus on equity in healthcare delivery and local production of medical products. Our discussions also covered the Pandemic Agreement negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing, the #Ebola response in #DRC, and Korea's role in strengthening global preparedness and multilateral cooperation. xitter.cf/Jaemyung_Lee/status/21…

I’m in Seoul and have met with Republic of #Korea's Health and Welfare Minister @jeong_eunkyeong. Thanked her for 🇰🇷’s longstanding partnership with @WHO, including for their commitment to the Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing and the newly co-signed Seoul Declaration on artificial intelligence. I asked for 🇰🇷’s support to the Pandemic Agreement negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefits Sharing annex.

Honored to inaugurate the building of the @WHO Global Training Hub for Biomanufacturing in Incheon, Republic of #Korea. The Hub has already trained more than 4,000 participants from more than 100 low and middle income countries, offering them hands-on skills that will help their home countries improve manufacturing processes and strength local production capacities. My gratitude to 🇰🇷 Health Minister @jeong_eunkyeong and the Korean Government for their substantial investment of $30 million in the Hub, to provide tuition-free health education. This commitment is key to reaching our common goal of living in a healthier world.

Productive discussion with the #Philippines Acting Health Secretary Edwin Mercado about @DOHgovph's investment in pandemic preparedness, and interest to prioritise surveillance cooperation during the 🇵🇭's @ASEAN chairing. We also discussed the importance of finalising the negotiations on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex of the Pandemic Agreement. #RC77

Indeed, an ambitious agenda and commitments at the @WHOWPRO Regional Committee, to advance #HealthForAll people in the region. I'm grateful and commend the work of my colleagues in the Regional Office, led by @RD_WPRO Saia Ma'u Piukala, for the tireless support they provide to the countries. #ProudToBeWHO xitter.cf/WHOWPRO/status/2112125…

A big thank you to our @WHOPhilippines team for the warm welcome this morning, but more importantly, for a candid discussion about the challenges they face in their work and where they need support most. Their commitment to serving the people of the #Philippines and delivering #HealthForAll is truly inspiring. #ProudToBeWHO

By 2050, more than two billion people worldwide will be aged 60 or older. As people live longer, it is a global imperative to ensure that those additional years are lived in health, dignity and purpose.    The Western Pacific is home to one of the world's largest and fastest-growing older populations. Countries across the Region have been at the forefront of efforts to promote healthy ageing.  Under the leadership of @RD_WPRO Saia Ma’u Piukala, the Region's shared vision of Weaving Health for All, recognizes that healthy ageing cannot be achieved by the health sector alone. It requires transforming not only health and care systems, but also the communities and environments in which people live.    I welcome the forthcoming four-year collaboration between @WHOWPRO and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, with support from the Institute of Philanthropy and the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust. This collaboration offers an opportunity to turn evidence into action, adapt solutions to country needs, and learn from what works across the Region. #RC77

.@Fmohnigeria reported the first case in Nigeria of #Ebola caused by Bundibugyo virus. The patient is in isolation, since the onset of symptoms and receiving necessary clinical care: bit.ly/487wX60 Contact tracing is ongoing. @WHO and partners are working with the governments of Nigeria, Kenya and the DRC to strengthen the overall outbreak response. WHO urges all countries in the region to sustain a high level of readiness, which is essential to detect cases early, prevent onward transmission and protect health workers and communities. xitter.cf/fmohnigeria/status/211…

Good meeting with #Mongolia's Health Minister Batshugar Enkhbayar on the country’s health system reforms. Developments includes digital health transformation, improving access to affordable, quality medicines, and continued cooperation with @WHO on primary health care, workforce development, medicines regulation and the transition to the new national Centre for Disease Control. I thanked the Minister for Mongolia's participation in the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing annex negotiation. #RC77