ICN and the World Health Organization
As one of the first seven non-governmental organisations to be accepted into official relations with the World Health Organization in 1948, ICN has worked collaboratively on many projects of mutual interest over the years.
WHO Executive Board 152nd Session
ICN CEO Howard Catton - EB152 Closing remarks
Item 5 - Constituency statement: Universal Health Coverage
Item 6 - Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and mental health
Item 9 - ICN statement: Infection Prevention and Control
Item 12.3 - Global Health for Peace Initiative
Item 23.3 - WHO reform: involvement of non-State actors in WHO’s governing bodies
WHO WPRO 73rd Regional Committee
RC 73 WPRO item 11 - Mental Health - ICN Statement
RC 73 WPRO item 12 - NCD Prevention and Control - ICN Statement
RC 73 WPRO item 13 - Primary Health Care - ICN Statement
WHO EMRO 69th Regional Committee
RC 69 EMRO item 2e - Nursing Workforce for UHC - ICN Statement
RC 69 EMRO item 3a - Building Resilient Health Systems - ICN Statement
WHO PAHO 74th Regional Committee
RC 74 PAHO item 4.3 - SDGs equity - ICN statement
RC 74 PAHO item 4.4 - Mental Health - ICN statement
RC 74 PAHO item 8.11 - Health Technology - ICN statement
WHO EURO 72nd Regional Committee
RC 72 EURO item 3 - Digital Health - ICN EFNNMA statement
RC 72 EURO item 6 - Emergency Preparedness - ICN EFNNMA statement
RC 72 EURO item 9 - Cervical Cancer Roadmap - ICN EFNNMA statement
WHO SEARO 75th Regional Committee
RC 75 SEARO CPHC ICN statement
RC 75 SEARO Strengthening EMT_ ICN statement
RC 75 SEARO Strengthening HW Education_ ICN statement
75th World Health Assembly
Download ICN Report - 75th World Health Assembly
ICN Policy Advisor Hoi Shan Fokeladeh - WHA75 wrap up
ICN Nurse Consultant Erica Burton - WHA75 wrap up
Provisional agenda item 14.1: Non-state actor Constituency statement
Provisional agenda item 14.6: Infection prevention and control
Provisional agenda item 15: Human resources for health
Provisional agenda item 16.2: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies
Provisional agenda item 17.2: Global Health for Peace Initiative
Provisional agenda item 27.2: Human organ and tissue transplantation
Provisional agenda item 27.4: Public health dimension of the world drug problem
World Health Organization - International Council of Nurses – International Confederation of Midwives 2022 TRIAD STATEMENT
The 2022 “Triad Statement” was issued at the close of the 9th biennial meeting of the International Council of Nurses (ICN), World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) held 9-11 May 2022.
The Triad Meeting took place ahead of International Nurses Day 12 May, and the Statement will inform the World Health Assembly discussions which take place from the 22-28 May 2022. Over 650 nursing and midwifery leaders from ministries of health, national nursing and midwifery associations, regulators, and educators participated from more than 165 countries—the most of any meeting thus far.
ICN strongly encourages all nursing organizations and nurse leaders to take forward the actions of the Statement to strengthen nursing and our health systems, including building back stronger in response to COVID-19, other disaster and conflict situations to achieving universal health coverage. ICN will continue to work with our Associations to monitor and report on progress regarding implementation.
WHO Executive Board 150th Session
Provisional agenda item 11: Immunization Agenda 2030
Provisional agenda item 15.1: Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies
World Health Assembly Second Special Session (WHASS)
Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (COP9)
Provisional agenda item 3: Global progress in the implementation of the WHO FCTC
72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Western Pacific
Provisional agenda item 10: COVID-19
68th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Eastern Mediterranean
71st session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe
Provisional agenda item 5: Reinventing primary health care in the post-COVID-19 era
73rd session of the Regional Committee of WHO for the Americas
World Health Assembly 2021
ICN's 74th WHA statements:
Provisional agenda item 13.8: Immunization Agenda 2030
Provisional agenda item 15: Health workforce
Provisional agenda item 17.1: COVID-19 response
Provisional agenda item 22.1: Social determinants of health
Watch ICN CEO Howard Catton's remarks on the WHO's 74th WHA session:
Watch ICN Chief Nurse Michelle Acorn, Senior Policy Adviser Erica Burton and Policy Adviser Hoi Shan Fokeladeh's remarks on the WHO's 74th WHA session:
World Health Organization Executive Board 2021
Download the WHA73 and WHO EB148 report here
ICN's 148th WHO EB statements:
ICN statement EB148 Provisional agenda item 5 - Global action on patient safety
ICN statement EB148 Provisional agenda item 12 - Immunization Agenda 2030
ICN statement EB148 Provisional agenda item 14.1 - COVID-19 response
Watch ICN CEO Howard Catton's remarks on the WHO EB148:
Watch ICN Senior Policy Adviser Erica Burton and Policy Adviser Hoi Shan Fokeladeh's remarks on the WHO EB148:
World Health Assembly 2020
ICN's 73rd WHA (reconvened) statements:
WHA73 provisional agenda item 11.3
WHA73 provisional agenda item 12
WHA73 provisional agenda item 13.2
World Health Organization Executive Board 2020
ICN's WHO EB Special Session on COVID-19 response statement
Watch ICN CEO Howard Catton's EB Special Session closing video:
World Health Assembly 2020
ICN's 73rd WHA statement:
WHA73 provisional agenda item 3
Watch ICN CEO Howard Catton's 73rd WHA closing videos:
World Health Organization Executive Board 2020
Download ICN's 146th WHO EB Report
ICN's 146th WHO EB statements:
ICN statement EB146 Item 6 - Primary Health Care
ICN statement EB146 Item 7.2 - Prevention and Control of NCDs
ICN statement EB146 Item 17 - Healthy Ageing
ICN statement EB146 Item 22.1 - WHO Reform
ICN joint statements EB146 with WHPA
Watch ICN CEO Howard Catton's live opening and closing videos from the WHO EB 146:
ICN Delegation at the 72nd World Health Assembly 2019: Report
WHO Europe candidates support call from ICN to commit to appoint Chief Nursing Officer – Letters from candidates
State of the World’s Nursing Report - Webinar presentations from WHO and JHPIEGO
World Health Assembly 2019
ICN's 72nd WHA statements:
Watch our interviews with delegates:
World Health Organization Executive Board 2019
ICN's 144TH WHO EB statements:
Watch our explainer:
ICN's 71st WHA report 2018:
Watch our explainer on the WHA:
Key Documents
ICN EB Report 2020
Download (4 MB)
ICN CEO Howard Catton has spoken exclusively to the new WHO Chief Nursing Officer Dr Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu, about the priorities and challenges ahead
As one of the first non-governmental organisations to be accepted into official relations with the World Health Organization in 1948, ICN has had a long and productive relationship with WHO.
The International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are collaborating to roll out the online QualityRights e-training programme on mental health, recovery and community inclusion.