Recap of Day 2: Highlights from GPHW2024

Day 2 of the Global Public Health Week 2024 showcased a diverse array of thought-provoking discussions and initiatives aimed at tackling pressing global health challenges.

Kicking off the day was a high-level meeting convened by the InterAction Council and One Young World, held at the historic House of Lords in London. Focused on strengthening global governance for existential threats, the meeting saw leaders from various sectors come together to establish an intergenerational Global Security Council. Led by Bertie Ahern and Ella Robertson McKay, plans were laid out to engage young leaders in addressing urgent global challenges and fostering sustainable communities.

Simultaneously, the Afghanistan Center for Health and Peace Studies (ACHPS) and the World Federation of Public Health Associations organized the Beyond Borders: Toward Equitable Global Health Governance webinar. This event emphasized the importance of inclusive decision-making processes in global health governance, advocating for diverse perspectives and fair representation across nations and organizations.

In another session, the Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab) facilitated an intergenerational dialogue on digital health citizenship. By assessing perceptions of digital health citizenship among youth populations, the lab aimed to empower young people to actively engage in co-designing digital-first health systems.

Throughout the day, a wide range of topics were explored, including climate justice, NCD prevention, and pediatric mental health resilience. Sessions such as the ASPHER-GCCHE European Climate and Health Responders Course highlighted the role of Europe in mitigating climate change and promoting climate justice on a global scale.

Meanwhile, discussions on intellectual property rights and pandemic preparedness underscored the need for international cooperation and solidarity in addressing global health crises. Events like the Lecture on Protecting Health Workforce shed light on innovative strategies for developing dedicated vaccination programs in low-resource settings.

As the day drew to a close, participants left with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to advancing global health equity and resilience. The insights and collaborations forged during Day 2 set the stage for continued progress and collaboration in the days and weeks to come.

Tomorrow we commence day 3 with the theme Putting Mental Well-being on the Health Agenda.