World Health Summit 2026: Berlin Becomes Global Meeting Point for the Future of Health
Under the theme "From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health," the Summit convenes leaders from politics, science, civil society, and the private sector. Discussions address Ebola and other infectious diseases, antibiotic resistance, pandemic preparedness, resilient health systems, health care in conflict settings such as Ukraine, and climate-related health threats. The Summit will also address WHO leadership through a conversation with prospective candidates for the next WHO Director-General.
Against this backdrop, WHS President Axel R. Pries emphasized the need for innovation and collaboration: "Past achievements and continued progress in global health are increasingly challenged by multiple and overlapping crises. To build resilient, effective, and equitable health systems, we need innovation across biomedicine and technology, financing, delivery, and political coordination. This requires partnership and trust within and beyond the health sector and is at the heart of the World Health Summit 2026 leitmotif."
Announcements and new pledges during the official WHS press conference:
- Diene Keita, Executive Director of UNFPA, highlighted the Government of Bangladesh's landmark investment of 250 million euros in women's health, supported by the European Investment Bank.
- John-Arne Røttingen, CEO of Wellcome, launched the Wellcome Global Monitor 2026, which shows trust in science has fallen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Ilana Ron Levey, Managing Director at Gallup, shared findings from the State of the World's Emotional Health 2026 Report, examining the relationship between social media use and emotional well-being.
The entire main program is livestreamed free of charge: https://www.youtube.com/@WorldHealthSummit/streams
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