The 67th World Health Assembly was held in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19 to 24, 2014. Wang Guoqiang, vice-minister of the NHFPC and head of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, attended the assembly with the Chinese delegation, including the NHFPC, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the China Food and Drug Administration, the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China’s delegation to the UN in Geneva, and the departments of health of Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

At the assembly, 57 technical and administrative issues were discussed, including the WHO’s reform, traditional medicine, essential drugs, the action plan for newborn health, non-infectious diseases, financing and coordinating of health research, and the health-related Millennium Development Goals. A total of 32 resolutions and decisions were passed. Ten countries, including China, were approved to be members of the WHO executive board.

The resolution about traditional medicine was proposed by China and passed at the assembly. The resolution urges member countries to adjust, adopt and implement the WHO traditional medicine strategy from 2014 to 2023 according to their situation. About 31 countries supported the resolution, including Australia, Canada, the US, Brazil and India.

The resolution about essential drugs was proposed by China and approved at the assembly. It appeals to every country to establish and improve essential drugs regulations; focus on children’s drugs; and strengthen the fair use of essential drugs, public publicity and education. About 40 countries expressed their support, including Korea, Britain, the US, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia.

Member countries all showed their concern about the seriousness of poliomyelitis in Pakistan. They called on the WHO to provide further technical assistance for Pakistan and other countries to work towards eliminating poliomyelitis.

The assembly also passed a resolution about the health intervention and technology evaluation system covering all residents. It encouraged every country to build a national evaluation system for health technology and integrate it into a national health system. It required the WHO to mobilize global experts to develop a set of international standards and guides for assessing health technology.

As for follow-up action after the CEWG’s report, the assembly’s decision required that the WHO director-general negotiates with the tropical disease special programme, offers suggestions for a sustainable financing mechanism and coordination, and submits them to the 68th World Health Assembly.