International commitment to strengthening global health

More than 3,500 participants from 140 countries met at the World Health Summit (WHS) in Berlin, Germany, from the 13^th–15^th October 2024. In addition, the Summit received a total of more than 21,000 views online.

The agenda of the World Health Summit 2024, held under the motto “Building Trust for a Healthier World”, included topics like health equity, women's health, threats from pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and the role of digital technologies in improving global healthcare.

The central event of the WHS 2024 was the largest donor event for the World Health Organization (WHO) Investment Round so far, with pledges totalling one billion US dollars made or reaffirmed. The funds pledged come from numerous European countries, the European Union, the African Union, non-profit organisations and the private sector.

As part of the WHS 2024 in Berlin, the pledging event “All for Health, Health for All: Signature Event for the WHO Investment Round” was attended by high-level speakers such as Germany’s Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The event was opened by the three health ministers of the co-hosts Germany, France and Norway. Also present were the Prime Minister of Montenegro, government representatives from Greece, the Netherlands and Finland, as well as CEOs from non-profit organisations and the private sector. Among others, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and the Prime Ministers of Norway and Estonia took part via video.

"The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that when health is at risk, everything is at risk," said Ghebreyesus. "Investments in WHO are therefore investments not only in protecting and promoting health, but also in more equitable, more stable and more secure societies and economies."

The WHO Investment Round is intended to help the WHO fulfil its “Health for All” mandate. With the funds raised through this new financing instrument, the WHO aims to prevent 40 million avoidable deaths caused by diseases over the next four years.

(WHS/ile)