FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
14 DECEMBER 2023
EMAIL: [email protected]
WORLD COUNCIL FOR HEALTH ISSUES CALL FOR UK CITIZENS TO JOIN THE IHR DEBATE AT PARLIAMENT ON 18 DECEMBER
Join the World Council for Health in the Parliamentary gallery and Parliament Square, London on 18th December at 4.30 pm for a parliamentary debate on amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).
Bath, U.K. – In response to a petition created by Dr Tess Lawrie, co-founder and CEO of the World Council for Health (WCH), the UK Petitions Committee has scheduled a debate on the proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) for Monday 18 December at 4.30 pm. The Department of Health and Social Care will send a Government Minister to respond.
WCH is calling on UK citizens to watch the debate in person in the Parliamentary gallery, join members of the WCH team in Parliament Square, and urge their MPs to attend the debate.
WCH is also encouraging its international supporters to watch the debate live at parliamentlive.tv/commons and to alert their political representatives to the debate.
Event Details:
Monday 18 December at 4.30 pm
Debate viewing: Westminster Hall
Outdoor gathering: Parliament Square, London, SW1P 3BD
Online viewing: parliamentlive.tv/commons
A transcript will be available here: hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-12-18
Dr Tess Lawrie’s petition reads:
We are concerned that Parliament has not discussed and will not have a say on the 307 proposed amendments to the International Health Regulations, AND the amendments to 5 Articles of the IHR that were ADOPTED by the 75th World Health Assembly on 27 May 2022.
The amendments that were adopted on 27 May 2022 have not been debated in or voted on by Parliament. The UK has the authority to reject them under Article 61 of the IHR, but any such rejection must be within 18 months of their adoption.
Parliament must be given the opportunity to vote on whether to reject the amendments that have already been adopted, and also the 307 proposed amendments that are currently being negotiated by the UK delegates to the 76th World Health Assembly. The UK has not proposed any of the 307 amendments.
More information:
- Petition: Hold a parliamentary vote on whether to reject amendments to the IHR 2005:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/635904 - WCH Policy Brief on the proposed amendments to the IHR and Pandemic Treaty—‘Rejecting Monopoly Power Over Global Public Health’:
https://www.worldcouncilforhealth.org/policy-briefs/ - WCH Statement: Countries Around the World Begin to Reject the WHO as Deadline Looms:
https://www.worldcouncilforhealth.org/reject-the-who/ - WCH Campaign to Exit the WHO:
https://www.worldcouncilforhealth.org/exit-the-who/
About the World Council for Health:
The World Council for Health is an international organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and the dissemination of accurate and reliable health-related information. We strive to strengthen collaboration among the public, experts and policymakers, to address and improve critical health issues facing humanity. WCH is rooted in the 7 Principles of a Better Way.
