The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Ms Ao Ieong U, said Macao’s online participation in the opening session of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 73rd World Health Assembly, had provided the city with new insights regarding ways to optimise its response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secretary Ao Ieong had, along with local health officials, participated on Monday (18 May) – during the late evening Macao time – in the opening of the 73rd World Health Assembly, an event which is being held online. The Macao participants were members of the Chinese delegation to the WHO.

During the opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping delivered an address to detail China’s proposal regarding a number of measures to boost the global fight against COVID-19.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Assembly, this year staged from 18 to 19 May, is in a virtual format. During the event, representatives of the WHO’s 194 member states are participating in online conference sessions, sharing information on their respective progress in fighting COVID-19.

At the World Health Assembly, member states discuss the WHO’s priorities, its leadership and its budgets. The Assembly also sets new international public health goals and assigns work to member states in order to achieve them.