FDI highlights oral health as a key public health priority at EB158
At EB158, FDI commended Member States’ commitment to oral health following the adoption of the Political Declaration of HLM4, and addressed PHC integration, health workforce investment and more!
The Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) is a critical forum for shaping global health policies, fostering multilateralism and securing consensus for urgent public health responses.
The 158th session of the WHO Executive Board (EB158) convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from 2–6 February. Participants included Member States, observers from relevant United Nations (UN) agencies, and non-State actors, including representatives of professional associations, academia, civil society and philanthropic foundations. Technical experts from WHO Secretariat presented the latest updates on their work, and provided guidance and clarification during debates.
Over five days, WHO Member States addressed an agenda consisting of 53 items and subitems including noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, rare diseases, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), Universal Health Coverage, primary healthcare and several other topics that require a coordinated international response.
FDI acknowledges Member States’ unprecedented commitment to oral health
During the debates on item 6: Follow-up to the political declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, Member States discussed a report highlighting the outcome of the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting for the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing (HLM4).
The same report addressed WHO’s guideline on environmentally friendly and less invasive oral healthcare for the prevention and management of dental caries.
The guideline provides recommendations on mercury-free dental products, including materials believed to be direct alternatives to dental amalgam for the prevention and management of dental caries. Its release supports ongoing global efforts to phase down the use of dental amalgam and is intended to help Member States meet the 2034 phase-out date approved in November 2025.
The report on NCDs also included updates on the Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018–2030.
During the deliberations on this agenda item, oral health was referenced in the statements delivered by seven Member States, as well as in the statements delivered on behalf of the WHO Western Pacific and African Regions, demonstrating sustained interest at the country and regional levels.
Through its statement, FDI commended Member States for recognizing oral health in the Political Declaration of HLM4 and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Member States to translate this recognition into action.
EB158 requested the Director-General to report on the progress made in implementing the political declaration of the fourth high-level meeting annually until 2031.
Primary healthcare as the foundation for people-centered healthcare
EB158 discussed WHO’s progress report on primary healthcare (PHC), emphasizing its role in resilient, equitable and people-centered health systems. The report highlighted technical support provided by WHO as well as Member States-led efforts to advance PHC. It covered several key areas including financing PHC and “the transformative role of PHC-oriented systems in delivering comprehensive, equitable and accessible services and in addressing social and economic determinants of health”.
FDI’s statement on this agenda item called attention to oral conditions which disproportionately impact vulnerable and underserved populations. It also noted that most oral conditions are preventable and treatable through primary care and called on all stakeholders to prioritize oral health within ongoing PHC reforms.
Read FDI’s statement on Primary Healthcare
Putting the health workforce at the heart of economics of health for all
EB158 also reviewed the draft strategy on the economics of health for all (2026–2030) which provides guidance on how to ensure an economy that both serves and benefits from health for all. The draft strategy emphasizes that health and health systems are more than costs and must be recognized as essential investments for inclusive and resilient economies. It puts forward guiding principles to guide implementation by Member States, and other stakeholders. It also lays out four strategic directions as well as actions supporting the advancement of each direction.
For this agenda item, FDI contributed to a statement jointly developed with the members of the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA), and other allies. The statement highlights how economic prosperity depends on population health, which in turn requires a skilled, protected, and adequately resourced health workforce. It called attention to the importance of investing in the world’s health workforce and their well-being to improve quality, safety, and productivity in healthcare delivery. It also affirms the health workforce as an essential pillar of sustainable and effective health care systems.
EB158 recommended the adoption of the draft strategy by the 79th World Health Assembly in May 2026 and requested progress reports on its implementation in 2028 and 2030.
Strengthening the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel
FDI supported a statement on item13: WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (the Code). The statement, led by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), cautioned that ongoing efforts to strengthen and resource the code remained insufficient to stem unregulated recruitment of health personnel and the related harm to essential health services in under-resourced regions. The statement called for mandating co-investments in the health workforce and health systems in source countries to promote equitable access to health worldwide.
Streamlining the role of data, digital health and artificial intelligence in the health sector
During the debates on item 15: Data, digital health and artificial intelligence in the health sector, FDI also expressed its support for a statement delivered by the World Medical Association (WMA). The statement stressed that AI must support, not replace, clinical judgment, with professionals retaining final authority. It emphasized that strong regulation, bias assessment, workforce AI literacy, and robust data privacy protections are essential to ensure equitable, human-centered digital health transformation.
What’s next?
EB158 has set the policy direction for the 79th World Health Assembly (WHA79), to be convened in May 2026. In the interim, the WHO Secretariat will address Member State recommendations within existing financial and human resource constraints. Assessing institutional capacity remains an important consideration as debates continue around WHO’s mandate, financing, and value proposition.
Participation in the Executive Board and World Health Assembly processes enables FDI, its members, and partners to monitor policy evolution, contribute technical expertise during consultations, and reinforce accountability at national and regional levels. FDI will actively engage in WHA79 to sustain and strengthen political commitment to the global oral health agenda.