In recent years, China’s innovations in the healthcare sector, particularly in medical devices and pharmaceuticals, have grown significantly. With its rapid advancements in innovative medical technology, China is emerging as a key player in addressing global health challenges, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
Many LMICs continue to face structural barriers such as insufficient healthcare infrastructure, limited availability of affordable treatment and diagnostic tools, and a rising burden of non-communicable diseases. In this context, China’s expanding capacity in medical innovation offers an opportunity to explore new pathways toward more sustainable and inclusive healthcare solutions.
This session will convene a diverse group of stakeholders—ranging from representatives of China’s innovative health technology sector to development partners, healthcare professionals, and policymakers—to examine the current landscape of Chinese medical innovations and how they could contribute to addressing health challenges in LMICs. Discussions will focus on the drivers and barriers influencing the adoption of these technologies in developing contexts, and examine the policy frameworks and strategies that can facilitate equitable and effective integration into global health systems.
The past decade has seen notable progress in the fight against malnutrition. Exclusive breastfeeding rates have risen to nearly 50%, 40 million fewer children suffer from stunting, and wasting has slightly declined. However, major challenges remain: 148 million children are still stunted, 45 million suffer from wasting, and anaemia affects nearly one in three women globally. Malnutrition remains a leading factor in 45% of deaths among children under five.
Climate change, conflicts, economic shocks, and the COVID-19 pandemic continue to worsen food insecurity and nutrition outcomes. In 2023, 733 million people faced hunger—152 million more than in 2019—and over 2.8 billion could not afford a healthy diet.
Momentum: The WHO recently extended the Nutrition Decade to align with the 2030 Agenda and maintain high-level commitment. Building on this momentum and the over 400 commitments made at the 2025 Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit, the Geneva Health Forum and its partners are organizing a high-level session on nutrition.
The Geneva Health Forum will provide a plateform to present the outcomes of the recent Nutrition for Growth (N4G) summit, successes and challenges from countries involved in the fight for better nutrition and a proposition of an initiative to support nutrition efforts on the Geneva International platform introduced. This session aims to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and ensure nutrition is firmly placed on the global health agenda.
Climate change is already reshaping the world’s health landscape. This session brings together leading actors to move beyond discussion and into action, showcasing concrete solutions from the field and highlighting urgent challenges that demand collective response. As the World Health Assembly gathers in Geneva, this session aims to build momentum by connecting communities of practice and sparking collaboration.
Through storytelling, real-world cases, and a commitment tree to foster ongoing partnerships, we invite you to help scale what works and co-create the future of climate-resilient health systems.
During the week of the World Health Assembly, the most prominent international Schools of Public Health (SPHs) will convene to discuss the opportunities for better health learning for the millions of public health professionals around the world.
The meeting is organized by the Swiss School of Public Health, the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, the Vanke School of Public Health from Tsinghua University, and the School of Public Health from the National University of Singapore, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Academy and the Geneva Health Forum (University of Geneva).
This year, the meeting will focus on fostering collaborations between the WHO Academy and SPHs worldwide. How can we work better together? What successes and challenges can we share? What level of expertise, training and research can SPHs and universities bring to the WHO Academy in its mission towards lifelong learning for public health?
Deans, vice-deans, former deans, faculty members and students are welcome to attend. A light lunch will be served after the meeting in the same venue.
Migration is often framed as a challenge—but it’s also a powerful driver of diversity, innovation, and resilience. This session calls on stakeholders to shift the narrative, recognize migrants as agents of their own health, and co-create inclusive solutions. In the context of the World Health Assembly, we’ll elevate lived experiences, foster dialogue, and seed new collaborations. Through participatory roundtables, we’ll tackle shared challenges and explore practical responses in mental health, research, and community leadership. Together, we can build momentum for dignity-based health systems that leave no one behind.
Climate change is not just an environmental crisis; it is a public health emergency. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting disease patterns are placing unprecedented stress on health systems and disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations. Strengthening adaptation and resilience is now essential to safeguarding human well-being.
This symposium brings together global experts to advance international cooperation on climate health, moving beyond crisis response toward proactive resilience-building. Key themes include climate health ethics, planetary health, and the interconnected well-being of human populations and the planet itself. Through discussions balancing scientific rigor with real-world implementation, the event will explore advanced meteorology modeling, effective early warning systems, health co-benefits of climate action, and strategies from emerging AI-driven health surveillance to community-based adaptation—ensuring no population is left behind. By fostering collaboration across organizations and regions, the symposium will provide a platform to integrate health into climate adaptation policies, offering tools to measure health outcomes in local contexts and achieve shared goals for a resilient future.
The Geneva Digital Health Day (GDHD) is a global gathering of healthcare professionals, innovators, policymakers, and researchers dedicated to advancing digital health. Held during the World Health Assembly in Geneva, GDHD serves as a platform to explore emerging trends, key challenges, and innovative solutions, fostering collaboration to drive the future of digital health worldwide.
Community health is a cornerstone of universal health coverage, health equity, and sustainable healthcare systems. As the world grapples with aging populations, urbanization, and digital transformation, new approaches are needed to integrate medical and elderly care, align healthcare and disease prevention, and modernize community health systems.
This session brings together health policy experts, practitioners, and international partners to explore China’s evolving community health strategies, with a focus on Minhang District. Since the 1980s, Minhang has pioneered innovative models—such as cooperative medical services, a three-tier prevention and care system, and the barefoot doctor model—which have since evolved into key components of China’s healthcare landscape. Today, these models underpin universal health insurance, family doctor services, and digitally enabled primary care.
Representatives from Minhang’s government, hospitals, public health institutions, and universities, alongside colleagues from Fudan University, the Shanghai Institute of Major Infectious Diseases and Biosafety, the University of Geneva, and international organizations, will share experiences and examine pathways for integrating care, prevention, and digital health in community settings.
This session aims to foster international collaboration and contribute to the advancement of resilient and inclusive community health systems globally.
The Dr LEE Jong-wook Memorial Prize for Public Health was established in 2008 in honour of Dr LEE Jong-wook, the sixth WHO Director-General, who dedicated his life to the underprivileged.
The Prize is awarded to individuals, institutions, or governmental and non-governmental organizations whose outstanding contributions to public health reflect Dr LEE’s vision and commitment. In accordance with the Prize Statutes and Guidelines, it aims at rewarding work that has extended far beyond the normal call of duty.
The Prize consists of a plaque from the Founder and a monetary award of up to USD 100,000.
The Prize will be awarded to this year’s Laureate during a special ceremony held at Campus Biotech in the framework of the Geneva Health Forum. The presentation will be jointly conducted by: