Rethinking Global Health in a Changing World

Name: Rethinking Global Health in a Changing World
Start: 2026-05-20T11:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-05-20T12:30:00-05:00

Ballroom C, InterContinental Geneve

Geneva,
Switzerland

11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CT

In Geneva and online

As geopolitical influence, funding, and governance models change, global health faces a pivotal moment: Long-standing institutions are under strain, new actors are reshaping priorities, and expectations for effectiveness and accountability are changing. This event focused on the need to foster innovative approaches for the betterment of population health globally.

“Rethinking Global Health in a Changing World” brought together leaders from academia, philanthropy, government, policy, and global health practice to reflect on how infrastructure must adapt to remain credible and consequential in the decades ahead. Rather than focusing on short-term crises, the discussion centered on challenges on the horizon: sustainable funding, shifting power dynamics, new models of partnership, and better ways of generating and using knowledge to improve population health.

See here for a video recording of the event.

Participants

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH

Introductions. Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the School of Public Health, the Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health and the vice provost for interdisciplinary initiatives at WashU

The inaugural dean of WashU Public Health, Galea is one of the most cited social scientists in the world. His writing and work are featured regularly in national and global public media. A native of Malta, he has served as a field physician for Doctors Without Borders and also has held academic and leadership positions at Boston University, Columbia University, University of Michigan, and the New York Academy of Medicine.

Salma Abdalla, MBBS, MPH, DrPH

Moderator. Assistant professor, co-director of the Global Health Futures research network, WashU Public Health

Abdalla is director of the Healthier Futures Lab at WashU Public Health. A physician by training, she studies how social, commercial and economic policies shape population health, with a particular focus on understanding how data can be used to inform decision-making to improve health outcomes, especially for noncommunicable diseases. She also studies the effects of collective traumatic events such as natural disasters on population mental health.

Lawrence Gostin, JD

Panelist. Linda D. & Timothy J. O’Neill Professor of Global Health Law, Georgetown Law; faculty director, O’Neill Institute for National & Global Health Law; director, WHO Collaborating Center on Public Health Law & Human Rights

Lawrence O. Gostin is a distinguished law professor and institute director at Georgetown University. An internationally recognized expert in global health law, he has held several positions with the World Health Organization involving topics such as pandemic and influenza preparedness; mental health; genomic sequencing data; migrant health; and gender, equity and human rights.

Björn Kümmel, LLM

Panelist. Head of the Global and Multilateral Health Unit, German Federal Ministry of Health; WHO Executive Board vice chair

Björn Kümmel heads a German Federal Ministry of Health unit that is in charge of coordinating global health, as well as his government’s federal strategy on global health. As the German representative to the WHO Executive Board and the board’s vice chair, he focuses on strengthening WHO’s role in global health governance and the broader global health architecture. He also serves in budget and administration, and financing roles for WHO.

Desta Lakew, MPH

Panelist. Former group director of partnerships and external affairs, Amref Health Africa

Desta Lakew is a leader in global health with over 25 years’ experience advancing health equity and development across Africa. In her most recent position, she led strategic partnerships, communications, and thought leadership across 35-plus countries. Among other contributions, she founded the Africa Health Agenda International Conference, and coordinated the Africa Common Position on Climate and Health.

Naveen Rao, MA

Panelist. Senior Vice President of the Health Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation

Dr. Naveen Rao leads efforts at The Rockefeller Foundation to build climate-resilient, equitable health systems and reimagine the future of global health. He previously directed the foundation’s Covid-19 response, global vaccination strategies, and pathogen surveillance initiatives. Before joining the foundation, he spent 25 years at Merck & Co., where he led Merck for Mothers, a $500 million initiative to reduce maternal mortality.

Kumanan Rasanathan, MD, MPH

Closing remarks. Executive Director of the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, WHO

Dr. Rasanathan is a public health physician whose career has focused on strengthening health systems and advancing health equity around the world. Over nearly 25 years, he has worked across WHO, UNICEF, and the broader UN system to help shape the global health agenda, from primary health care and the social determinants of health, to sustainable development goals. He also served as WHO’s incident manager for the COVID-19 response in Cambodia.

Katherine Urbáez, MSc

Panelist. Founder and Executive Director, Health Diplomacy Alliance

Katherine Urbáez is an economist and former senior diplomat from the Dominican Republic. Through the Health Diplomacy Alliance, she oversees the vision and core programs to advance health diplomacy across multilateral processes. Her diplomatic career included postings to the World Trade Organization, Hong Kong, the United Nations in Geneva, and the Swiss Confederation, as well as senior roles in government ministries shaping policy on health, human rights, and international cooperation.