The 76th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) takes place in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 21–30, 2023.
The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) attends WHA76 with a strong statement addressing the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) negotiations.
The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) organizes the High-Level Symposium on Health Policy and Personalized Medicine for Cancer: Projecting Europe-China Collaboration in the Global Arena, which is set to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 26, 2023, in conjunction with the World Health Assembly.
This symposium marks an important occasion for presenting the main results of the Integrating China in the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine (IC2PerMed) project and discussing the implementation of policies and programs on personalized medicine for cancer and beyond at the national and international level.
The symposium starts with a presentation of a roadmap created by the IC2PerMed project over the past four years. The roadmap aims to promote consistent approaches to personalized medicine research, development, innovation, and policies between the People’s Republic of China and the European Union.
The symposium continues with three panels. The first panel, chaired by Bettina Borisch, Executive Director of the WFPHA, discusses how to transform the roadmap into an effective program at the national level by mobilizing funding and commitments from policymakers across various countries. This panel features world-renowned speakers from various countries, including Walter Ricciardi, President of Mission Board for Cancer of European Commission; WenYa Wang, Tsinghua University; Ricardo Baptista-Leite, former member of the Portuguese Parliament and Chief Executive Officer of I-DAIR; and Carlos Gadelha, Secretary of Science, Technology, and Innovation of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.
The second panel, chaired by Stefania Boccia, Professor of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine, and Public Health at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome, focuses on data, access, accountability, and innovation. The panel features influential speakers from the health industry, big data, and innovation sectors, including Ejner Moltzen, ICPerMed Coordinator; Denis Horgan, Director of the European Alliance for Personalised Medicine; and Zisis Kozlakidis, Head of Laboratory Support, Biobanking, and Services at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), just to name a few.
The third panel, chaired by Walter Ricciardi, President of Mission Board for Cancer of European Commission, focuses on the empowerment of health professionals. This panel brings together experts who are well-versed in the challenges and opportunities for implementing personalized medicine programs in the healthcare sector. High-level speakers from the main health-related non-governmental organizations, including Howard Catton, Chief Executive Officer of the International Council of Nurses; Otmar Kloiber, Secretary General of the World Medical Association; Cary Adams, Chief Executive Officer of the Union for International Cancer Control; and Ronald Lavater, Chief Executive Officer of the International Hospital Federation, confirmed their participation at this panel.
This symposium represents a milestone in the harmonization and implementation of effective approaches to personalized medicine, creating common ground for the wider implementation of personalized medicine globally.
The 76th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) takes place in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 21–30, 2023.
The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) joins several non-State actors in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide a strong constituency statement calling for reorienting health systems to primary health care as a resilient foundation for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Racism and discrimination are fundamental determinants of health. Despite the increasing evidence for the impact of racism and discrimination on both mental and physical health inequities in multiple ways, the issue has gained too little attention in the public health domain so far.
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) has initiated and led the pan-European Thematic Network DisQo: anti-discrimination and health equity (DisQo), bringing together more than 40 organizations and individuals, with the shared ambition to address institutional and structural racism and discrimination for health equity.
In May 2023, DisQo sent a joint statement to the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), calling for stronger action against racism and discrimination to achieve health equity.
WFPHA joins organizations working across sectors in this call and commits to taking an active stance against all forms of racism and discrimination.
The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) recognizes outstanding contributions to public health through its annual awards program. The program aims to acknowledge and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant achievements in promoting health, preventing diseases and injuries, and ensuring safe and healthy conditions for people around the world.
This year, the WFPHA presents a series of awards during the 17th World Congress on Public Health (WCPH), held in Rome, Italy, on May 02 to 06, 2023.
One of the recipients of this year’s awards was the One Health Commission, which received the Climate and Health Action Award. This organization has done remarkable work in addressing the presence of climate change as an imminent public health threat. Dr Annapaola Rizzoli from the Research and Innovation Center of the Edmund Mach Foundation, the first One Health center in Italy, received the award.
Dr Annapaola Rizzoli, speaking on behalf of Dr Cheryl Stroud, the Executive Director of the One Health Commission, expressed immense gratitude for the honor and highlighted the organization’s commitment to promoting the One Health approach. The speech shed light on the significance of climate change and the urgent need to implement One Health thinking across disciplines.
Dr Rizzoli’s speech is available to read here.
The World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) recognizes outstanding contributions to public health through its annual awards program. The program aims to acknowledge and honor individuals and organizations that have made significant achievements in promoting health, preventing diseases and injuries, and ensuring safe and healthy conditions for people around the world.
This year, the WFPHA presents a series of awards during the 17th World Congress on Public Health (WCPH), held in Rome, Italy, on May 02 to 06, 2023.
One of the recipients of this year’s awards was Prof. Ulrich Laaser, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Global Health. Prof. Laaser’s speech during the award ceremony was a captivating and inspirational moment, encapsulating his lifetime of dedication to global health and social justice. His words served as a reminder of the urgent need to work collaboratively, embrace equity, and address the pressing challenges facing our planet. As the public health community moves forward, Prof. Laaser’s legacy will continue to inspire future generations to strive for a healthier and more equitable world.
Prof. Laaser’s speech is available to read here.
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