During a progress report meeting at WHA78 on 23 May 2026, WHO has shared a comprehensive update on the progress of the Global Strategy on Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) , highlighting significant milestones since the strategy's adoption by the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly in 2022.
Following the adoption of resolution WHA75.13, WHO developed a global action plan and monitoring framework between June 2023 and March 2024. This included consultations with Member States and experts, as well as a Delphi survey to define key actions, indicators, and targets at global, national, and facility levels. The finalized framework, covering the period 2024–2030, was adopted by the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly in 2024.
To assess the implementation of IPC measures worldwide, WHO launched a global survey in November 2023 across 150 countries, territories, and areas. The survey evaluated adherence to minimum IPC requirements and gathered updated data on healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial resistance. The results were published in the 2024 WHO Global Report on IPC , expanding the evidence base for global IPC efforts.
Between June 2022 and December 2024, WHO published 21 IPC guidance documents, 11 training resources, and three assessment tools. Technical support was provided to countries across all WHO regions, including 25 in Africa, 12 in the Americas, all 11 in South-East Asia, 11 in the Eastern Mediterranean, 25 in Europe, and eight in the Western Pacific.
In addition to technical work, WHO has actively promoted IPC in high-level political forums. Since May 2023, IPC has been included in the agendas and outcome documents of major international meetings, including the G20 in Brazil, G7 summits in Italy, the United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting on antimicrobial resistance, and the Fourth Global High-level Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Saudi Arabia.
WHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Member States in strengthening national IPC programmes and aligning with the global action plan and monitoring framework. These efforts are seen as essential to improving healthcare safety, reducing the spread of infections, and addressing the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
