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The JCB shall consist of 28 members from among the Cooperating Parties:

• Twelve representatives from the governments contributing to the Special Programme Resources, selected by the contributors to the Special Programme. Each such government representative shall serve as representative of his/her government and may also serve as representative of a constituency established by governments under this membership category. Each constituency will develop its own procedure to designate its representative to the Board. In the event a government intends to serve on the Board also as representative of a constituency, it shall indicate this in its application for membership, it being understood that each government participating in that constituency shall be entitled to rotate as the representative of that constituency at any session of the JCB.
• Six government representatives selected by the WHO Regional Committees from among those countries directly affected by the diseases dealt with by the Special Programme, or from among those providing technical or scientific support to the Special Programme.
• Six members, designated by the JCB itself, from among the remaining Cooperating Parties.
• The four Agencies which comprise the Standing Committee.

Members of the JCB shall serve for a period of four years and may be reappointed.

The JCB convenes in annual sessions and, if necessary, in extraordinary sessions, provided that a majority of the members agree to do so. During these meetings, the JCB elects a Chair and a Vice-Chair from among the representatives of its members. The Chair is elected every three years, while the Vice-Chair is elected every two years. Both officers continue to serve until their successors are chosen.

Should the Cooperating Party represented by the Chair cease to be a member of the JCB, or if the individual holding the position of Chair is no longer a representative of that member, the chairpersonship concludes before the standard term expires. In the event of such a vacancy, the Vice-Chair assumes the responsibilities of Chair until a new Chair is elected at the next session of the Board.

The Chair presides over JCB sessions and, in their absence, the Vice-Chair fulfills this role. Between sessions, the Chair and Vice-Chair undertake additional duties as assigned by the JCB.

The World Health Organization (WHO), serving as the Executing Agency for the Special Programme, provides the Secretariat and supporting services and facilities necessary for the functioning of the JCB.

Chairs:

Dr Sunil De Alwis (Sri Lanka), 2024–2025

Dr Vic Arendt (Luxembourg), 2020–2023

Dr Modest Mulenga (Zambia), 2017–2019

Professor Hannah Akuffo (Sweden), 2014–2016

Vice-Chairs:

Dr Daniel Eibach (Germany), 2024–2025

Dr Tahir bin Aris (Malaysia), 2021–2023

Dr Xiao Ning (China), 2019–2020

Dr Vic Arendt (Luxembourg), 2017–2018

Dr Shahnaz Murad (Malaysia), 2015–2016