LIVE: WHO chief addresses 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva — Monday 18 May 2026In a high-stakes address at the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus laid out urgent priorities for global health security, warning of rising threats from pandemics and climate-driven diseases. The live remarks, carried by BBC News, zeroed in on the need for stronger international cooperation just as the United States grapples with its own post-COVID recovery and ongoing debates over domestic preparedness funding. From an American standpoint, the speech carries direct weight for communities from Atlanta to the Midwest. Tedros pushed for faster data sharing and equitable vaccine distribution, issues that hit home after supply-chain failures during the pandemic left many U.S. hospitals scrambling. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are watching closely, knowing that renewed U.S. engagement with the WHO could shape everything from border health screenings to the next round of federal emergency stockpiles. Critics here argue the organization still needs sharper accountability, especially after past missteps on early outbreak reporting. Yet supporters point to the potential payoff in protecting American jobs tied to pharmaceutical exports and keeping our own public health infrastructure ahead of the curve. With flu season already ramping up and new variants circulating, the message from Geneva lands as a timely reminder that what happens overseas can reach U.S. shores faster than ever before.Watch the full video from Associated Press below.