Newsletter 01/2024: WHS Regional Meeting, WHS 2023 Year Book, Spotlight Global Health

Dear friends, 

As we step into 2024, a year starting off overshadowed by fundamental challenges and yet brimming with new possibilities, the World Health Summit remains steadfast in its commitment to global health.  

This year, the World Health Summit is dedicated to exploring and strengthening the foundations of trust within the global health community and its various stakeholders. From policymakers to industry leaders, and from researchers to the communities they serve, trust is the foundation upon which effective, inclusive, and sustainable health solutions must be built. 

We invite you to join this central conversation. The World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2024 in Melbourne, Australia from April 22-24 provides the perfect opportunity to do so. Under the theme "Shape the future of health across Asia and the Pacific" it will bring together various global health representatives to engage, discuss, and find solutions for the region and beyond. Indigenous health will be a special focus. You can still register to participate on-site (more below). 

Let's work together to forge a path towards a healthier world, underpinned by the mutual trust and understanding that is crucial for our collective success. And don't forget to save the date for this year's World Health Summit in Berlin: October 13-15. 

Stay safe and healthy! 

"Shape the future of health across Asia and the Pacific." is the motto of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2024 in Melbourne, Australia from April 22-24. Hosted by M8 Alliance founding member Monash University, the Regional Meeting will highlight pressing global health challenges from the Asian-Pacific perspective, including a focus on indigenous health. Don't miss out and benefit from early-bird prices until January 31, as well as discounts for students and participants from LICs, LMICs, and UMICs.

More than 100 esteemed speakers and over 1,000 participants will unite to advance health and wellbeing, focusing on the thriving of communities, the impact of climate change, and the role of geopolitics in health. Join in as we explore a diverse range of topics:

- Climate change and the health of First Peoples
- Developing the health workforce in the Asia-Pacific
- Pacific priorities for prevention of violence against women
- Strengthening healthcare financing in the Asia-Pacific
- Emerging and re-emerging health threats
- Accelerating towards net zero health care
- Rethinking drug policy to minimize harm
- Building healthier environments
- Turning the tide on obesity
- First People's health and AI

More program and speaker information

Register here (and be fast: early-bird rates end on January 31)

What happened in the World Health Summit year 2023? The freshly released brochure "World Health Summit 2023 - A Look Back" has it all! Get more info below (and spot yourself in one of the many pictures in the booklet here)

We are proud to announce the first high patron confirmation for this year: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, World Health Organization Director-General, will continue to support the World Health Summit as a patron in 2024. Traditionally, the World Health Summit is held under the patronage of the German Chancellor, the French President, and the Director-General of WHO. 

Check out the website for all news
Read the WHS 2024 press info
See World Health Summit 2024 At a Glance

The WHO has achieved an extraordinary double shift in relation to its financing: at the 2023 World Health Assembly, the member states agreed to an increase in assessed contributions; now at the Executive Board in January 2024 they have settled on an "investment round", which will allow WHO to raise money in a new way, closer to the replenishments of organizations like The Global Fund or GAVI. The goal set is 7 billion USD - still a drop in the ocean of global health needs.

Replenishments require strong commitment by a determined group of funders, long term preparatory processes and well-organized pledging conferences. Germany – one of the largest, most reliable WHO funders – was already decisive in forging the support for the rise in assessed contributions and is now set to strongly support the investment round process.  

Aside from raising money, Germany could also make a key political contribution by ensuring that the investment round process provides the occasion to address foundational issues of global health financing:
- confirming a strong commitment to equity in health financing,
- addressing the agenda setting power differential between funders,
- reducing the fragmentation and competition in global health financing with a view to the post-2030 health and development agenda, and
- increasing the willingness of the G20 to establish a health and finance agenda that safeguards the funding for global goods for health.

At the World Health Summit, we hope to contribute to move such agendas forward.

Out Now: WHS 2023 Year Book

"World Health Summit 2023 - A Look Back" features 28 pages packed with photos, 45 quotes, numbers, info on topics, speakers, impact, a media recap, a look behind the scenes, a review on the WHS Regional Meeting 2023 in Washington DC, as well as lots of background info on the World Health Summit.
Read the booklet
 

Online Now: WHS 2023 Web Page

The World Health Summit 2023 past year page is now live on our website with a comprehensive overview of all that made it special.
Visit the webpage
 

Moving Images: WHS 2023 in Under 4 Minutes

Have you seen the WHS 2023 Movie yet? Check out the highlights and enjoy the memories.
Watch the movie

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Appoints New CEO

Sania Nishtar will assume her new role as Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on March 18. She is a renowned global health leader and former World Health Summit speaker known for her advocacy for health equity and sustainable development.
See more on the new Gavi CEO apppointment
 

WHO Executive Board Appoints Three New Regional Directors

At WHO's 154th Executive Board session, new Regional Directors for the Eastern Mediterranean, South-East Asia, and Western Pacific Regions were appointed. For the next five years, they will lead the organization in their respective region: Hanan Hassan Balkhy for WHO EMRO, Saima Wazed for WHO SEARO, and Saia Ma’u Piukala for WHO WPRO. In addition, drafting WHO's 14th General Programme of Work was high on the agenda at the Executive Board session.
Read more about the new Regional Director appointments
Find more info on WHO's 154th Executive Board session
 

Routine Malaria Vaccinations Starting in Africa

Cameroon became the first country to launch the WHO-recommended malaria vaccine as part of its routine immunization program on January 22, 2024. This historic milestone marks a turning point in the fight against the disease, which claims over 600,000 lives anually around the world.
Read more about Cameroon's malaria vaccine rollout

Check out the latest info, recent projects, and upcoming events on the Charité Center for Global Health website.