Audrey Wong, PharmD, is a PGY-1 acute care pharmacy resident at the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Mishawaka, IN. She was chair of the 2021–2022 APhA–ASP International Standing Committee.
As an APhA–ASP member, you are automatically an International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) member, meaning you have access to all of the international opportunities that IPSF offers. One of the high-level opportunities IPSF members have is that they can apply to serve as an IPSF official delegate at the World Health Assembly (WHA).
WHA is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO). While it had been virtual for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event is usually held annually in Geneva, Switzerland, and is attended by delegations from all WHO member states and nonstate actors (NSAs). NSAs include civil society groups such as nongovernmental organizations, international business and professional associations, and philanthropic foundations. Currently, IPSF is one of the only two youth NSAs which are represented at the WHA.
This past May, I had the pleasure to attend the 75th WHA in person in Geneva, Switzerland.
Getting down to business
Before attending WHA, all delegates were required to take part in pre-WHA training, which prepared delegates with essential knowledge and skills to better optimize their experience in WHA. Delegates were split into different working groups (e.g., organizing, social media, policy, professional development, external relations) to work on specific tasks that ensure all of the required documents and details were ready prior to arrival.
Upon arrival, delegates were split into two groups. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited number of representatives were allowed to attend the actual WHA sessions at the United Nations Office in Geneva (the Palais des Nations). For IPSF, 4 delegates were chosen to attend the WHA sessions while the other delegates were assigned to attend WHA side events. I was beyond honored to be one of the 4 delegates to attend the WHA sessions, and my main role included attending all WHA sessions and taking minutes when needed as well as creating and presenting statements.
IPSF submitted a total of 8 statements this year, and I had the opportunity to present two: WHO’s strategy on tackling oral diseases and the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections. This unique experience allowed me to raise awareness of these public health issues and advocate for the role of the pharmacist in global public health.
For delegates who attended the WHA side events, they were able to learn about different global issues, connect with representatives from all over the world, and acquire partnerships for future collaborations.
Importance of youth engagement in world health
Being an IPSF delegate was a rewarding experience that not only allowed me to learn more about the most recent health issues around the world and the WHO decision-making process, but also provided me with a special platform to advocate for health issues and the pharmacy profession on a global level. Furthermore, the experience highlighted the importance of youth engagement in global health.
I was excited to be one of the IPSF delegates this year and would highly recommend it to any student pharmacists who are passionate about global health and health policy!