【Photo Diary】(3) Visit to Geneva for WHO Annual Conference
Published on June 16, 2025
I would like to share with you some of the photographs taken during my visit to Geneva to attend the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in my capacity as chairman of The Nippon Foundation and WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination. The WHA is WHO’s decision-making body.
[May 22, Geneva, Switzerland]
Noting that leprosy is an ongoing disease with India, Brazil and Indonesia accounting for about 70% of the total cases worldwide, I expressed my commitment to achieving WHO’s goal of a zero-leprosy world by 2030.
Dr. Herbosa expressed his strong commitment to achieving a leprosy-free Philippines.
We agreed to work closely together toward the goal of a zero-leprosy world.
He consented to my plan to visit Bangladesh in the near future to see firsthand the state of persons affected by leprosy in his country.
She promised to cooperate with us in organizing the leprosy conference in Africa.
She asked me to visit the island country to help give fresh momentum to its anti-leprosy campaign.
We exchanged our views on not only the anti-leprosy campaign, but also ways to deepen friendship between Japan and his home country, Tonga
I was briefed on the state of the anti-leprosy campaign in his country, which is located in the southwestern Indian ocean, including on the island of Anjouan.
Taking up the post in March this year, she promised to support our efforts to hold a leprosy conference in Africa.
She expressed her commitment to going all out to aim for a zero-leprosy Tanzania and agreed to my plan to visit the East African country, hopefully by the end of the year, ahead of the African leprosy conference.
(To be continued)