The United States can and should take the moral lead on this public health threat, rather than stonewalling once again at the next World Health Assembly.

FORBES: It's time to destroy the U.S. smallpox reserves

Resolutions from the World Health Assembly are not legally binding, so the US and Russia cannot be forced to destroy stocks even if the majority of nations wanted it to happen.

BBC: Should the US and Russia destroy their smallpox stocks?

Decades ago, global public health was almost synonymous with the annual World Health Assembly in Geneva, largely the domain of health ministers setting goals and policies for WHO staff to implement.

FORBES: The Fight to End Pandemics

Earlier this year, in response to a high-level UN meeting on NCDs in 2011, the World Health Assembly set a global target to reduce premature NCD mortality by 25% by the year 2025.

FORBES: International Cardiology Groups Push For Aggressive Public Health Goals

At the 2006 meeting of the World Health Assembly (WHA), virtually every country agreed, again, that the smallpox should be destroyed, but the U.S. and Russia objected, and no date was set to destroy the remaining stocks.

FORBES: It's time to destroy the U.S. smallpox reserves

In May 2012, health ministers from the member states of the World Health Assembly agreed to a resolution on mental health, making a commitment to promote greater awareness of mental health issues and improve care standards around the world.

BBC: Mental health: Global effort sought

Since then, I have served as Global Patron of the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood, spoken at many forums, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, the United Nations, the World Health Assembly, and the African First Ladies Summit.

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