The establishment of the Group of Friends of the WHO Academy was announced today at the 77th World Health Assembly. The event was co-hosted by founding members and was headed by the ministers or vice ministers of health from France, Indonesia, Japan, Qatar, and Rwanda.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General urged the founding Friends and said: “As a key initiative of the WHO Transformation that began in 2018, the WHO Academy will be a vital asset for Member States, and a game changer in the way WHO supports countries in building capacities. The support of the Group of Friends will enable the WHO Academy to drive lifelong learning in health as a global priority.”
With the help of the French funds, the WHO Academy campus is planned to be launched in Lyon at the end of 2024. It will support the global health and care workforce through delivering a range of evidence-based courses internationally via distance learning, and capacity-building programmes in Lyon, and in Member States.
The Group of Friends will provide the political umbrella that will be required to sell the Academy and advocate for funding for health workforce training. This goal will involve the Global Health Systems transforming the WHO Academy into the world’s foremost institution for lifelong learning in health.
