The Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research will convene and contribute to several sessions at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany, from 12 to 14 October 2025.
Highlights for the Alliance include a panel we are organizing with the WHO Emergencies Programme on governance arrangements for national public health agencies, and a keynote panel we are co-organizing on health and peace on the 14th. All sessions can be livestreamed on the World Health Summit YouTube channel or at the links below without prior registration.
Strengthening national health agencies for future pandemics
12 October, 11:00-12:30 CEST | Workshop | Forum 1
With Rt Hon. Helen Clark and Dr Kumanan Rasanathan from the Alliance, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu and Dr Sara Hersey from the WHO Emergencies Programme, and Dr Johanna Hanefeld from the Robert Koch Institut in Germany, Dr Edson Rwagasore from the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), Dr S. Mahendra Arnold from the Ministry of Health in Sri Lanka, Dr Vernon Lee from the Communicable Diseases Agency in Singapore
This workshop will bring together national public health agency (NPHA) leaders, policy-makers and researchers to discuss how governance reforms have and can strengthen the ability of NPHAs to deliver on their mandates in both routine and emergency contexts. It will reflect on findings from applied health policy and systems research conducted in eleven countries – supported by the Alliance and the WHO Emergencies Programme – to highlight how national leaders, international organizations and funders can support more effective governance arrangements and translate lessons from recent reforms into actionable strategies across contexts.
Solutions to national implementation challenges for preventing and controlling noncommunicable diseases and enhancing mental health and well-being
12 October, 11:00-12:30 CEST | Workshop | Side meeting VII
With Dr Robert Marten from the Alliance
Building on the outcomes of the Fourth UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, this session will convene a multistakeholder panel to explore practical pathways for translating global strategies into local impact. Discussions will focus on strengthening country capacities, mobilizing sustainable financing, integrating NCD and mental health services into primary healthcare, and addressing critical evidence needs. Speakers will highlight examples of innovation and collaboration that can advance evidence-based action, foster accountability, and promote equitable, resilient health systems.
Health care systems in Europe
13 October, 16:00-17:30 CEST | Panel discussion | Hall 2
Chaired by Rt Hon. Helen Clark from the Alliance
This panel discussion will explore how European countries are responding to new dynamics to make sure their health systems remain responsive, equitable and robust. The discussion will focus on adaptation processes, strategic priorities and opportunities for further development. While national contexts vary, many efforts share common principles worth identifying and examining together and potentially warranting replication across Europe.
On the road to HSR2026: opportunities for HPSR in the new global landscape
13 October, 16:00-17:30 CEST | Side event | Venue to be confirmed
With participation from Dr Kumanan Rasanathan from the Alliance
Co-organized by Health Systems Global (HSG) and the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, this session will highlight critical issues for the field in the run-up to the 9th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research, to be held in Dubai in November 2026. It will feature forward-looking discussions on priorities for health policy and systems research, with a particular focus on financing and advancing the field in diverse contexts. Speakers include researchers, policy-makers and global partners.
Peace and sustainable health development
14 October, 9:00-10:30 CEST | Panel discussion | Hall 1
Chaired by Prof. Amirhossein Takian from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in the Islamic Republic of Iran with participation from Dr Kumanan Rasanathan from the Alliance
Health is a driver of peace and sustainable development. War and conflict may lead to the disruption of health systems, the collapse of essential medical supply chains, an exodus of health care workers, attacks on health care and/or upsurges in epidemics and starvation – ultimately impacting lives and livelihoods. This panel discussion brings together high-level policy makers, executives, philanthropists and health advocates to discuss the interconnection of peace and health to reach sustainability.
Peace and health: Building bridges for global stability and well-being
14 October, 11:00-12:30 CEST | Keynote session | Center stage
Keynote panellists include: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (TBC), Rt Hon. Helen Clark from the Alliance; Dr Austin Demby, Minister of Health of Sierra Leone; Mr Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Minister of Health of Indonesia; Mr Edem Adamanov, Deputy Minister of Health of Ukraine; Prof. Shadi Saleh, Founding Director of the Global Health Institute at the American University of Beirut; Ms Inger Ashing, CEO of Save the Children International. Chaired by Ilona Kickbusch from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.
This keynote session will discuss how peace and health are intrinsically connected and interdependent. Addressing these challenges requires an integrated approach that recognizes health, and peace cannot be conceptualized or tackled independently. By strengthening health systems and promoting justice, societies can strive to achieve lasting peace and well-being for all, fostering global stability.