..In January, the WHO Executive Board proposed major reforms, which the World Health Assembly will consider in May (http://bit.ly/17z0ViG). The outcome of the reform movement could affect the WHO’s status and credibility for a generation. Here are 5 reforms I propose needed to uphold the WHO’s constitutional mandate (http://bit.ly/1BuNFtc) as “the directing and coordinating authority on international health work.”

  

  • Ensure sustainable funding...
  • Reform the WHO’s regional structure by empowering WHO’s director-general to appoint regional directors...
  • Improve WHO governance by empowering stakeholders to harness the creativity of civil society...
  • Exert WHO’s constitutional authority by setting an ambitious agenda of health treaties and voluntary codes...
  • Build health system capacities to help prevent the next global health emergency...