Landmark resolution for strengthening Indigenous Peoples’ health globally
The World Health Assembly today approved an unprecedented resolution on the health of indigenous peoples, which requests the Director-General to develop a global action plan for the health of indigenous peoples and to present it to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in 2026.
Indigenous peoples, although representing diverse population groups and communities, in general have considerably lower life expectancy than non-indigenous populations. They also have a higher prevalence of many diseases and adverse health conditions, including diabetes, maternal and infant mortality and malnutrition.
The Assembly requested the action plan be developed in consultation with indigenous peoples; that WHO provide support to Member States, upon request, for improving indigenous health; and that the improvement of indigenous peoples’ health be included in the development of the Fourteenth WHO General Programme of Work.
In the same resolution, the Health Assembly urged Member States to, among other tasks, develop knowledge about the health situation of indigenous peoples, with their free, prior and informed consent; develop, fund and implement national health plans, strategies or other measures for indigenous peoples; encourage the attraction, training, recruitment and retention of indigenous peoples as health workers taking into account the traditional knowledge and practices.
