Newsletter 04/2021: Cooperation, not Competition is Key

Dear friends,

The pandemic shows how important the improvement of global health is and how crucial the strengthening of international and interdisciplinary cooperation remains. 

The World Health Summit and its academic backbone, the M8 Alliance, are confident that cooperation, not competition, is key. This unique multilateral network of 30 leading Academic Health Centers and Universities in 20 countries as well as National Academies around the world, foster knowledge exchange and cooperation on various global health challenges.

In June we will all meet in Kampala, Uganda – hopefully in person but surely online: The World Health Summit Regional Meeting, organized by M8 Alliance member Makerere University will take place from June 27-30. The meeting will have a focus on the African perspective and the organizers are putting together an exciting program packed with a lot of highly interesting speakers and topics.

Another very successful project of the M8 Alliance is the regular webinar series on Migrant and Refugee Health, organized by Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. The fifth event will take place on May 27 and will focus on strengthening healthcare systems in Europe with the spotlight on Migrant Health.

All learnings and scientific input by the M8 Alliance and by the many World Health Summit partners will be part of the World Health Summit in Berlin in October. The program will address the enormous challenges of global health and the list of speakers is already impressive.

Dear friends, a meeting like the World Health Summit where international experts from academia, politics, the private sector, and civil society come together to find solutions could not be more important. 

Since one thing remains very clear: The global community needs healthcare for all, and "Universal Health Coverage", one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, is far from being achieved.

Let us work together and try to make a real difference for global health.

With kind regards,

Mark your calendars: The World Health Summit Regional Meeting 2021 – Uganda, Kampala & Digital will take place from June 27-30.

Central topics will be: The Health of the African Youth, Advancing Technology for Health in Africa, Infectious Diseases and Global Health Security, Stemming the Tide of Non-Communicable Diseases in Low- and Middle-Income Countries and Inter-Sectoral Action for Health.

To read more about the Regional Meeting, speakers, program and registration, visit the Regional Meeting website here 

Contact the director of the organizing secretariat Hanifah N. Bukirwa

#WHS2021 Speakers & Program

Latest confirmed speakers for the World Health Summit 2021

More information on speakers here

Please find the most recent version of the World Health Summit 2021 program here 

Thank you to all World Health Summit 2021 Patrons for their continued support!

M8 Alliance Webinar Series on Migrant and Refugee Health

Register for "Strengthening Healthcare Systems in Europe while Improving Migrant Health" on May 27, 3:00 PM CET. 

The fourth M8 Alliance Expert Meeting webinar is organized by Sapienza University of Rome together with Emergency.

Get all information on registration, speakers and program here

Migrant and Refugee Health has been a focus topic of the M8 Alliance since 2016 with regular expert meetings and sessions at the World Health Summit.

Get all information on the webinar series, expert meetings, and the focus topic here
Recordings of all webinars are available on the World Health Summit YouTube channel

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin to Support Global Centers for Health and Pandemic Preparedness in Ghana and Latin America

Infectious diseases with pandemic potential are global challenges whose early detection and control is only possible with the help of international and interdisciplinary cooperation. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) therefore funds the establishment of four global centers for health and pandemic prevention. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin partners with several German and international universities to build up two centers in Latin America and Ghana. The centers will enhance the local capability to prevent and treat communicable diseases and improve crisis preparedness, response and follow-up. They will provide various levels of education such as international master's degree courses, PhD programs and professional development and will enable international exchange. 

Read more here (German only)

Global Health Summit on COVID-19

The European Commission and Italy, as chair of the G20, will co-host the Global Health Summit on May 21 in Rome. The main topic: Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants will be leaders and heads of the G20, of international organizations, and representatives of global health actors including numerous regular players of the World Health Summit, such as the UN, WHO, OECD, FAO, GAVI, Global Fund and CEPI. A result of the Global Health Summit will be a Rome Declaration with principles that can guide multilateral co-operation and action to prevent future global health crises. The discussions and the declaration will be advised by senior scientists from around the world. The panel of experts consists of high-profile members, many of whom are regular speakers at the World Health Summit.  

Read more here

EU4Health 2021-2027 – a Vision for a Healthier European Union

EU4Health is the European Union’s response to COVID-19, which has had a major impact on medical and healthcare staff, patients and health systems in Europe. By investing €5.1 billion, therefore becoming the largest health programme ever in monetary terms, EU4Health will provide funding to EU countries, health organisations and NGOs. The goal is to boost the EU’s preparedness for major cross border health threats, to strengthen health systems so that they can face epidemics as well as long-term challenges and to make medicines and medical devices available and affordable, advocate the prudent and efficient use of antimicrobials as well as promote medical and pharmaceutical innovation and greener manufacturing. Funding will be open for applications in 2021.

To find out more about EU4Health and its funding opportunities visit here

Berlin University Alliance - Call for Proposals

The Berlin University Alliance (BUA) is funding cross-institutional research projects through a call for proposals entitled “Determinants of Global Health: Exploring Biological, Human-made & Environmental Factors.” Over a period of three years, projects involving at least two partner institutions will be funded with a total of around 6.8 million euros. The deadline for applications is July 19, 2021. The earliest funding start date is February 1, 2022. The call for proposals is open to researchers from all disciplines.

Read more here

Publication by Harvard Medical School: Webinar Proceeding from #WHS2020

Over five billion people have no access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care. This causes more than 17 million preventable deaths annually. Integrated and holistic approaches are needed to build health systems that include increased emphasis on surgical care delivery, trauma care and emergency care systems. "Essential Surgical and Trauma Care: An Essential Part of Universal Health Coverage“ was a Panel Discussion at the World Health Summit 2020. Hosted by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and moderated by John Meara from Harvard Medical School and Geoff Ibbotson from the Global Surgery Foundation, the panel featured speakers like Ali Jafarian from Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Ifereimi Waqainabete, the Fijian Minister for Health and Medical Services.

Read the publication here

Global Solutions Summit 2021

The Global Solutions Summit 2021 will take place digitally on May 27-28. With this year’s Great Realignment theme, over 100 high-level speakers will engage in various session formats that cover essential topics from the Task Forces of the T20: e.g. pandemic preparedness, measurement of economic and business performance, digital transformation, the UN Agenda 2030 & development cooperation, and women’s economic empowerment. 

More on program, speakers, and registration here

Join the World Health Summit Community and get in touch with fellow members: global health enthusiasts from all over the world. You also get access to a selection of past World Health Summit speaker presentations and benefit from an expedited process for your next World Health Summit registration.

Sign up or log in here