Hub Management Team

The first hearing on 22 January 2025, "Confronting the Silent Epidemic: Tackling Noncommunicable Diseases Together," will kick off a series of discussions for the Second European Programme of Work (EPW2) 2026-2030. This series will focus on key health challenges across the WHO European Region, each tackling an urgent issue. The launch of this series is a major step in the development of EPW2, which aims to articulate a shared vision for health and well-being in the Region, developed in close partnership with Member States, in line with their priorities for the future. Ultimately, EPW2 will be a collective resource to inform national and regional health agendas. It will also define WHO’s programmatic contribution to advancing this vision in line with the Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 14), bridging Member States’ aspirations with WHO’s operational mandate. The NCD hearing will set the stage for the discussions to follow, bringing together a variety of perspectives to ensure that EPW2 addresses the health needs of today and prepares for future challenges.

Following a high-level opening segment for the series of hearings as a whole, this hearing will focus on the growing burden of NCDs, their impact on health systems, and the urgent need for action. Diseases like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases make up 90% of deaths and 85% of years lived with disability in the region. Despite being largely preventable or treatable, these diseases continue to cause premature deaths, especially in Eastern Europe, where the risk of dying from cardiovascular diseases is nearly five times higher than in Western Europe.

At the hearing, experts will present updates from the European Progress Report on NCDs, showing how the region is progressing toward global health targets. We’ll explore the links between NCDs, mental health, and global challenges like climate change and health security. With lightning talks, personal stories, and interactive breakout sessions, the hearing will dig into the health challenges we face and discuss ways to take action. It will be a chance to share ideas and work together toward achieving the SDG targets on NCDs and mental health. This event marks a key moment in our journey to build healthier, more resilient communities and health systems across the region.

Key questions for the discussion will include: Why have we made so little progress on NCD targets, and how can we speed up action to reduce premature deaths? How do NCDs and mental health connect with inequity, and how do these challenges relate to climate change, the influence of industries, and global crises? How can countries, cities, communities, and WHO collaborate to tackle NCDs and mental health with bold, innovative actions while strengthening health systems for better outcomes?

The 20th meeting of the Health in Eastern Europe & Central Asia Working Group is scheduled for 21 January 2024, 10–11 am (CET).

This session will feature the Medical Procurement Workshop by the Ukraine State Enterprise “Medical Procurement of Ukraine” (MPU).

About MPU:
The State Enterprise “Medical Procurement of Ukraine” (MPU) is the nation’s only authorized agency for the centralized procurement of high-quality medicines and medical devices funded by the state. Operating under the direction of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, MPU manages state-funded programs, ensuring efficient procurement processes and the timely delivery of essential medical products.

Workshop Overview:
This workshop aims to deliver valuable insights and detailed guidance on participating in MPU’s procurement activities. Key topics will include stringent anti-bribery measand an in-depth exploration of Ukrainian procurement legislation. By addressing these critical areas, the workshop seeks to promote fair competition and uphold ethical business practices, fostering a transparent and equitable procurement environment.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of MPU’s procurement processes and learn how to navigate the legal and ethical framework of Ukrainian medical procurement effectively.

This coming 2025 – amidst political turmoil and concerning geopolitical scenarios – prospects to be a challenging year for civil society organizations worldwide. To ensure that health-related human rights are not overlooked neither at the international negotiating tables nor at the local level, civil society must engage in constant and persistent advocacy and use its boldest voice in every forum.

Ahead of the 156^th session of the WHO Executive Board, this series of G2H2 policy debates offers a platform for civil society to remind everyone what are the “matters that matter” to us and why particular attention should be given to them. Spanning from the assessment of “hot” topics to be addressed at the upcoming Executive Board, to a detailed analysis of other burning technical or political matters that have been left out, each session will feature selected speakers which will guide us into an enriching discussion.

Check out this link below for detailed information on the webinars: https://g2h2.org/posts/january2025/

On 16 January 2025, the World Health Organization will launch its Health Emergency Appeal for 2025. The event is being live-streamed from this page and on WHO’s social media channels, including on Facebook, Instagram, and X.

LIVE STREAM

The event can be watched live on 16 January 2025 at 15:00–16:00 CET (Geneva time). The recording will be available in the sidebar listing.

The world is at a tipping point. Conflict, climate change, epidemics, and displacement are converging to create an unprecedented global health crisis. Across the globe, 305 million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance – a staggering reality that reflects the unrelenting pressure on communities and health systems worldwide.

The 2025 Health Emergency Appeal (HEA) identifies the critical priorities and resources required to address 42 ongoing health emergencies, including 17 Grade 3 crises – the most severe. These emergencies demand a coordinated, well-resourced global response to save lives, protect health, and restore hope to communities on the brink of collapse.

Health is at the heart of every emergency response. From delivering life-saving care and essential medicines to conducting disease surveillance and supporting local health systems, WHO is leading efforts to safeguard the lives of the most vulnerable in the most challenging circumstances. Yet, as needs soar, the gap between resources and realities continues to widen.

Join us on  for a critical discussion on global health strategies centered around migrants and refugees. This webinar will explore the findings from our recent Policy Brief, titled "Prioritising Migrants and Refugees in the Global Health Discourse." The brief, developed by the Global Health Hub Germany’s Community of Practice on Global Health and Migration, emphasizes the urgent need to address the unique health challenges faced by these vulnerable populations.

The session will cover key topics including:

• Limited access to healthcare for migrants and refugees
• Increased vulnerability to infectious diseases
• The impact of climate change on migration patterns

We will discuss strategic recommendations from the Policy Brief, such as raising awareness of the social determinants of migrants' health, integrating their needs into the One Health approach, and fostering cross-sectoral collaboration to drive change.

These insights are pivotal for shaping inclusive, effective global health policies. We highly encourage your participation to help promote equitable healthcare for all.

Please save the date and confirm your availability. We look forward to your valuable contributions to this important discussion.

Register here: Registration | Webinar: Advancing Global Health – Prioritising Migrants and Refugees in Policy and Practice

For further details, please contact:

Sonu Bhaskar and Henna Riemenschneider or the Hub Management Team at info@globalhealthhub.de

Dear Hub Community, 

We are delighted to invite you to this year’s Global Health Talk, our annual flagship event, bringing together leading global health experts from different stakeholder groups and high-level representatives from the German government. The event is a great opportunity to network among our active Hub members and to gain insights into our diverse Hub Communities. 

All guests are warmly invited to the opening ceremony with Federal Minister of Health Prof. Karl Lauterbach, followed by a keynote on fragility and global health from Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Svenja Schulze (TBC). Following this, we will dive into discussions on the following key topics in global health: 

• Panel on Fragility & Global Health 
• Climate and Health Nexus: Analysis of COP 29
• European Cooperation in Global Health
• Non-Communicable Diseases: UN High-Level Meeting 2025
• International Processes in Global Health Policy

Please mark your calendars for the event & join us in Berlin on December 05 – 06
at the Conference Center, Mauerstraße 27, 10117 Berlin. 

Registration will open soon.

We look forward to your participation and the valuable conversations that will shape the future of global health. 

Sincerely,   
The Management Team of the Global Health Hub Germany  

Dear Hub Members, We are delighted to invite you to this year’s Global Health Talk on 5 – 6 December 2024 at the Conference Center Mauerstraße 27 in Berlin. Our annual flagship event will bring together leading global health experts from different stakeholder groups and high-level representatives from the German Federal Government, including Federal Minister of Health Prof. Dr. Karl Lauterbach. The event is a great opportunity for interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral exchange and to engage in lively discussions around Global Health.  This year's Global Health Talk will be an in-person event only. Check out the programme, register for the event & join us in Berlin: https://live.invitario.com/en/global-health-talk-2024/registration-/      We look forward to your participation and valuable conversations that will shape the future of Global Health.        Sincerely,      The Management Team of the Global Health Hub Germany 

Speaker Series N°9 - The Role of Research in Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence 

The joint evening reception hosted by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the GHA – German Health Alliance on 27 November will take place at the Akademie of Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Berlin.

This event will consist of two parts: a discussion on “Partnering to Strengthen Health Systems“, followed by a networking reception.

Germany, as a leader in global health, both at the state level and through an engaged private sector, as well as other non-governmental actors, plays a crucial role in international health cooperation. The discussion will bring together key stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, and experts, to explore innovative strategies and collaborative efforts aimed at reinforcing healthcare systems in developing and emerging countries.

The agenda will cover topics, including sustainable healthcare financing, technology-driven solutions, and best practices from various organizations. The goal is to encourage a meaningful exchange on how to shape contributions focusing on equitable healthcare access while over 4.5 billion people worldwide currently lack sufficient medical care, particularly in the Global South. Light will be especially shed on how stronger partnerships between governments, the private sector, civil society, and academia can foster sustainable health solutions.

The subsequent evening reception will serve as a platform for further discussions on the significance of strategic health partnerships in addressing the challenges of under-resourced health systems, workforce training, and enhancing public-private partnerships for improved health outcomes.

Further details on the programme will follow and be published on the registration page.

We are looking forward to an inspiring and enriching exchange!

Dear Hub members, 

On Monday, 11 November, the Subcommittee for Global Health (Unterausschuss für Globale Gesundheit) of the German Parliament (Bundestag) will hold its 29th session on Antimicrobial Resistances (AMR).

The meeting is open to the public and can be followed virtually here: www.bundestag.de (in German only).

Dear Hub Community,

We are pleased to announce the upcoming community event organized by the Global Health Hub Germany’s Global Women’s Health subgroup on feminist policy.

In recent years, feminist approaches to policymaking have received increased attention. In Germany, the government has introduced feminist guidelines for its foreign and development policy, and calls are made to apply a feminist lens to global health policy. For good reasons: research shows that women, gender minorities, and marginalized populations often face multiple barriers in receiving the health services they need, increasing their risk of facing infections and diseases or dying from preventable deaths, e.g., in pregnancy and childbirth. Feminist global health policy prioritizes equity, intersectionality, inclusivity, and the diverse health challenges faced by marginalized groups, particularly women, gender minorities and multiply oppressed individuals. In a world where health disparities persist, these approaches push for policies that address systemic inequities, working towards designing health programs that benefit everyone and leave no one behind.

The webinar will provide a 101 on feminist approaches to global health policy and explore examples for their implementation. Participants should attain a comprehensive understanding of the principles of feminist global health policy, their added value for German policymaking, as well as their challenges and pitfalls.

The audience will have the opportunity to listen to and discuss with our distinctive panelists:

• Dr. Lisa Hoffmann, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
• Elizabeth Kayanga, Integrated Disabled Women Activities, Uganda
• Department of Sex and Gender Sensitive Medicine, Bielefeld University (tbc)
• GENDRO (tbc)

Please register for the event following this link.

Once you are registered for the webinar, you will receive a confirmation. The webinar will take place in English.

AHTS 2024 is the pinnacle of healthcare innovation within MWC Africa uniting the power of digital transformation with the potential of cutting-edge healthcare solutions. Join us to explore how “Innovating for Community Health, Resilience and Wellbeing: Unlocking the Power of AI and Emerging Technologies” revolutionizes healthcare delivery across Africa. Engage with industry leaders, visionaries, and policymakers to forge transformative partnerships and drive meaningful change.

16:00-17:30 CEST | Tuesday 15th October 2024 
Side Event | World Health Summit | Manila Lounge 

As the global health community contends with the escalating challenges posed by the climate emergency, the need for critical investments in Climate Services for Health are paramount.

From extreme weather to shifting disease burdens, malnutrition to the quality of the air we breathe, unprecedented rising temperatures to societal mental health impacts, it is clear that climate and human health are inextricably linked. And yet, climate data is rarely exploited to manage health risks - despite our growing awareness of the consequential direct and indirect effects of the climate and climate change upon our health.

The 2023 WMO State of Climate Services for Health report states that immense opportunity lies in our ability to integrate climate information into health delivery and planning. If we are to ensure that we can respond to the greatest threat of the 21st century, climate and health data and decision-making must be integrated.

This side event at the World Health Summit aims to highlight the value of developing a strong ecosystem for Climate Services for Health and spotlight some of the risks of failing to do so properly. Please join us as we bring key actors from across climate and health to discuss why rising to this challenge is so vital and understand how we can prioritise the urgently needed investments, coordination, and commitments in this space to protect global health in a changing climate.

Please register below, and forward any questions about this event to Ben Ryder, Research Manager for Climate Impacts & Adaptation at Wellcome (b.ryder@wellcome.org)

NB: Please note that you must have a valid registration for the WHS to join this event in person.

The German-East European & Central Asian Health Forum, organised by the German Eastern Business Association and the German Health Alliance as an Official Side Event of the World Health Summit, provides a framework for exchange and networking with decision-makers from Germany and the partner countries, company representatives, experts and researchers.

The seventh edition of the Forum will be dedicated to the topic “Advancing Healthcare Together: Investments and Partnerships”.

In recent years, the healthcare systems in East Europe and Central Asia have witnessed significant developments and transformations. Governments in the region have been actively focusing on improving healthcare infrastructure, increasing access to quality medical services, and implementing health policy reforms. Efforts have been made to enhance healthcare financing mechanisms and promote public-private partnerships to address the diverse healthcare needs of their populations. Additionally, advancements in medical technology and digital health solutions have played a pivotal role in improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.

Despite witnessing advancements in recent years, the healthcare systems in East Europe and Central Asia continue to face ongoing challenges. These include disparities in the distribution of healthcare resources, shortages in the healthcare workforce, and the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases. These issues remain areas of concern that require attention and collaborative efforts to address effectively.

As the region continues to evolve, stakeholders remain committed to fostering innovation, cooperation, and cross-border collaborations to ensure sustainable and equitable healthcare development in East Europe and Central Asia.

We would like to offer you an exchange with high-ranking decision-makers from our partner countries as well as representatives of leading companies and experts from the health sector.

The Forum takes place as an on-site conference in Berlin. The working language is English.

Participation is free of charge.

AGENDA

Venue: KMPG, Heidestraße 58 · 10557 Berlin

Public live viewing followed by a discussion.

Monday, 7 October 2024 | 11.00 am - 1.00 pm
Auditorium in the "Charité Crossover - CCO"
Charité Campus Mitte | Virchowweg 6 | 10117 Berlin

The Stockholm Nobel Committee will announce this year's Nobel Laureates in Physiology or Medicine on 7 October 2024.
Colleagues from medical/biological institutions, journalists and students can experience this exciting moment at the Nobel Live Viewing.

Organised by the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Virchow Foundation, the Charité Foundation and the Berlin Medical Society, this special ritual will once again be used this year to discuss current issues over coffee and biscuits.

Immediately following the Nobel Committee's press conference in Stockholm at 11.30 a.m., which will be broadcast via livestream, experts from Berlin will comment on the research of the new prizewinners, place the award-winning work in the respective research contexts and work in the respective research contexts and will be available to answer questions.

Regarding your participation in the event, we kindly ask for your feedback by Friday, 4 October 2024 at the latest.
Until this date, it is also possible to submit "bets" on this year's award winner(s) in writing by e-mail to
annette.welling@virchow.foundation. A valuable prize awaits the winner!

Location: Robert Koch Institute, Nordufer 20, 13353 Berlin, Historical lecture hall, and online via WebEx Webinar (hybrid)

Speaker: Dr Musa Sadock, Department of History, University of Dar es Salaam

Registration of public attendees for on-site participation or requests for confirmation of participation by 1 Octobre 2024 at please contact ZIG-Talks@rki.de.

See here for more information: RKI - Homepage

Location: Online via WebEx Webinar (no physical meeting)

Speaker: Fabiana Lorencatto – Co-Director and Associate Professor for the Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London

Online participation is possible without registration.

🌟 Help us spread the word and nominate a Youth on the Move for the UNICEF UNV Programme! 🌟

You can find the links to the webinar in the attached file.

Do you know a passionate and talented young displaced person or migrant facing barriers in accessing traditional internships and learning-to-earning opportunities?

Join us for one of our information sessions to learn more how you can nominate a youth on the move under the new UNICEF UNV Youth on the Move Programme, an initiative designed to empower displaced and migrant youth by providing them with valuable opportunities to build their skills and knowledge.

In the info sessions, you will learn about the vision of the programme, its eligibility criteria, the application and nomination process.

Eligibility criteria for the programme

• Young people aged 20-32
• Refugees, asylum seekers, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and migrants (Please note the eligible categories may vary from country to country depending on government regulations and legal frameworks with regard to work permissions for different groups of displaced persons and migrants)
• Individuals who face barriers in accessing learning-to-earning pathways due to their migration and displacement experience (e.g. lack of education certification, financial, legal barriers, discrimination, or other barriers) and are able to explain this in their application
• Female candidates and candidates with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply

The Programme intends to create opportunities for young people on the move facing learning barriers and challenges to earn their living, therefore, we are not looking for candidates with a university degree or currently enrolled in university.

🌟 Become a Youth on the Move UNV with UNICEF! 🌟

Are you a passionate and talented young person facing barriers in accessing traditional professional and learning-to-earning opportunities?

Join us for one of our information sessions to learn more about the vacancies under the new UNICEF UNV Youth on the Move Programme, an initiative designed to empower displaced and migrant youth by providing them with valuable opportunities to build their skills and knowledge.

In the info sessions, you will learn about the vision of the programme, its eligibility criteria, and the application process. We will also share some tips and guidance about what to pay attention to in your application and motivation statement.

Eligibility criteria for the programme

• Young people aged 20-32
• Refugees, asylum seekers, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and migrants (Please note the eligible categories may vary from country to country depending on government regulations and legal frameworks with regard to work permissions for different groups of displaced persons and migrants)
• Individuals who face barriers in accessing learning-to-earning pathways due to their migration and displacement experience (e.g. lack of education certification, financial, legal barriers, discrimination, or other barriers) and are able to explain this in their application
• Female candidates and candidates with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply

The Programme intends to create opportunities for young people on the move facing learning barriers and challenges to earn their living, therefore, we are not looking for candidates with a university degree or currently enrolled in university.

This high-level event will convene former Heads of State — including New Zealand’s The Right Honourable Helen Clark — and government, senior policymakers, and non-governmental leaders to address how we can build on the Summit of the Future (Sept. 22-23) calls-to-action — specifically an “Emergency Platform” — to ensure we are prepared to respond to complex global shocks.