Devex

Accelerating innovation in global health

Devex CheckUp
@ WHA 76

May 24 - 25, 2023

Geneva & Online everywhere

Watch online

About the Event

On the occasion of the 76th World Health Assembly, Devex will convene leaders in global health to discuss the lingering pandemic emergency and long-term effects of COVID-19, preparations for the next global health threat, and the innovation necessary to move the needle on access to medicines and quality health care worldwide.

While medical devices and tools for analyzing data and diagnosing conditions are becoming cheaper and more ubiquitous, hurdles still exist when it comes to bringing global health technology and innovation to scale. As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout illustrates, sufficient funding, intellectual property disputes, supply chain challenges, and global health policy and governance can all stand in the way of coordinated impact.

This year, Devex brings its annual global health technology and innovation summit Prescription for Progress from Silicon Valley to Geneva for a closer look at the policy, partnerships, and funding strategy necessary to accelerate progress on global health goals. Join the journalists who bring you the global health newsletter Devex CheckUp — in person or online — for two days of insightful conversations with the individuals who are shaping the future of global health.

Hosted by:

Innovation Partners:

Ecosystem partners:

Supporting Partners:

Want to sponsor this event? Reach out via email at [email protected] to partner with us!

Agenda

Wednesday, May 24

10:30-11 a.m. CET

Registration and networking
In person only

11 a.m. CET

Welcome remarks

11:05 a.m. CET

Rebuilding trust in the global health system
Speaker:
• Dr. Ayoade Alakija, WHO special envoy for the ACT-Accelerator

Interviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

11:20 a.m. CET

What's the next COVAX? Lessons to improve for future pandemics
Speakers:
• Aggrey Aluso, Africa director, Pandemic Action Network
• Els Torreele, policy associate, UCL Institute for Innovation & Public Purpose (IIPP)

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

11:30 a.m. CET

The science behind faster outbreak response
Speakers:
• Frederik Kristensen, deputy CEO, CEPI
• Petro Terblanche, chief executive officer, Afrigen Biologics
• Dr. Sofonias Tessema, program lead for Pathogen Genomics, Africa CDC
• Dr. Nathalie Strub-Wourgaft, general delegate of PANTHER

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

12 p.m. CET

Urgent Care: Strengthening acute services in LMICs. In partnership with American Heart Association
Speakers:
• Dr. Teri A. Reynolds, unit head of clinical services and systems in the department of integrated health services, World Health Organization
• John Meiners, chief of mission aligned businesses & healthcare solutions, American Heart Association

Interviewed by: Richard Jones, Editorial Director, Devex

12:10 p.m. CET

How to tackle the growing mental health crisis
Speakers:
• Dévora Kestel, director, mental health and substance use, WHO
• Yves Miel Zuniga, senior officer, United for Global Mental Health
• Lyla Schwartz, senior mental health advisor, USAID

Interviewed by: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

12:35 p.m. CET

The opportunities and limits of AI in healthcare in low-resource settings
Speakers:
• Dr. Shamim Nabuuma, founder and executive director, Chil Femtech Center

Interviewed by: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

12:50 p.m. CET

Accelerating health care innovation for the next emergency. In partnership with Revvity
Speakers:
• Yves Dubaquie, senior vice president of diagnostics, Revvity
• Farid Fezoua, global director for health and education, International Finance Corporation

Interviewed by: Jessica Jenner, Partnerships Lead, Devex

1 p.m. CET

A conversation with the Devex CheckUp team
Speakers:
• Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex
• Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex
• Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

1:15 p.m. CET

Networking lunch
In person only

2:25 p.m. CET

Meeting the health needs of women and girls in every phase of life
Speakers:
• Lydia Saloucou, president, Africa, Pathfinder International
• Dr. Revati Phalkey, global director for health and nutrition, Save the Children
• H.E. Toyin Ojora Saraki, founder and president of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA)
• Virtual: Dr. Duru Shah, chairman, Gynechworld and Chair of the Council of Affiliated Menopause Societies

Interviewed by: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

2:45 p.m. CET

Breaking barriers: The power of inclusive R&D to accelerate malaria elimination. In partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture
Speaker:
• Andrea Lucard, chief officer for corporate strategy and affairs, Medicines for Malaria Venture

Interviewed by: Alexandre Cabaret, Senior Director, Partnerships, Devex

3 p.m. CET

What has #AidToo changed? Taking stock of progress to address sexual misconduct
Speakers:
• Dr. Gaya Manori Gamhewage, director of prevention and response to sexual misconduct, WHO
• Reem Alsalem, independent expert, Human Rights Council Special Procedures

Interviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

3:25 p.m. CET

First step: Invest in global health innovation. In partnership with GHTC

3:30 p.m. CET

Time to step up the fight: The next era of HIV/AIDS advocacy
Speaker:
• Winnie Byanyima, executive director, UNAIDS

Interviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

3:55 p.m. CET

Networking break
In person only

4:15 p.m. CET

How COVID-19 breathed new life into medical oxygen
Speakers:
• Brenda Kateera, country director for Rwanda, Clinton Health Access Initiative
• Robert Matiru, director of programmes at Unitaid and co-chair of the Global Oxygen Alliance
• Jayasree Iyer, CEO, Access to Medicine Foundation

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

4:45 p.m. CET

COVID-19 and beyond: The future of global pandemic preparedness. In partnership with Open Society Foundations
Speakers:
• Precious Matsoso, co-chair, WHO’s Intergovernmental Negotiating Body and former director-general, South African National Department of Health
• Krishna Udayakumar, M.D., founding director, Duke Global Health Innovation Center

Interviewed by: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

5 p.m. CET

Inside WHO's Hub for Pandemic & Epidemic Intelligence
Speaker:
• Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, assistant director-general, division of Health Emergency, Intelligence & Surveillance Systems, WHO

Interviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

5:25 p.m. CET

Closing remarks

Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

5:30 p.m. CET

Reception hosted in partnership with Gilead
In person only

Thursday, May 25

12 p.m. CET

Networking lunch and registration
In person only

1 p.m. CET

Welcome remarks

Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

1:05 p.m. CET

An inside look into the WHA conversations that could change global health rules
Speakers:
• Loyce Pace, assistant secretary for global affairs, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
• Dr. Joseph Phaahla, health minister, South Africa

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

1:35 p.m. CET

Taking stock of progress on racial equity in global health
Speaker:
• Ngozi Erondu, technical director, Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE)

Ineterviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

1:45 p.m. CET

Escaping the Global Health Matrix. In partnership with McKinsey Health Institute.
Speaker:
• Lars Hartenstein, Co-Leader of the McKinsey Health Institute

Interviewed by: Richard Jones, Editorial Director, Devex

2 p.m. CET

From ultrasound devices to hearing aids, innovating access to health products and devices
Speakers:
• Pascal Bijleveld, CEO, ATscale, the global partnership for Assistive Technology
• Zeinab Gura, deputy director General Medical Services at Ministry of Health, Kenyaa
• Kristoffer Gandrup-Marino, chief of innovation, UNICEF

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

2:25 p.m. CET

Essential Diagnostics: Transforming Health Outcomes across Generations. In partnership with HemoCue
Speaker:
• Lena Wahlhed, Director alliance development, HemoCue

Interviewed by: Richard Jones, Editorial Director

2:35 p.m. CET

Next steps in polio eradication
Speakers:
• Aidan O'Leary, director of polio eradication, WHO
• Steven Lauwerier, director of UNICEF Polio Eradication
• Violaine Mitchell, director, Immunization Program Strategy Team, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Dr. Jamal Ahmed, coordinator, Polio Eradication Programme, WHO African Region

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

3:05 p.m. CET

PAHO's new director on improving health in Latin America and the Caribbean
Speaker:
• Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr., director, PAHO

Interviewed by: Kate Warren, Executive Vice President and Executive Editor, Devex

3:20 p.m. CET

Better health care in Africa: Strengthening public health institutions on the continent
Speakers:
• Dr. Ebere Okereke, CEO, Africa Public Health Foundation
• Prof Padmashree Gehl Sampath, special advisor to the president on health and pharmaceuticals, African Development Bank
• Jean Philbert Nsengimana, chief digital health advisor, Africa CDC

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

3:45 p.m. CET

An update on efforts to keep Sudan's health systems from collapsing
Speaker:
• Massimo Diana, deputy director, Human Response Division, UNFPA
• Dr. Ahmed Abbas, representative, Sudan Doctors Union - UK

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex

3:55 p.m. CET

Malaria Gamechangers series: Spatial Repellents. In partnership with United to Beat Malaria

4 p.m. CET

Networking break
In person only

4:20 p.m. ET

A conversation with Atul Gawande: What's next for USAID's primary health care strategy?
Speaker:
• Dr. Atul Gawande, assistant administrator for Global Health, USAID

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

4:40 p.m. ET

Reimagining health financing: Seizing a unique moment to invest in health and well being
Speakers:
• Jenny Yip, managing partner, Adjuvant Capital
• Clifford Samuel, fellow, Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, Harvard University; Co-chair, Project on Voluntary Licensing and Access to Medicines (VLAM)
• Priya Basu, executive head, Pandemic Fund Secretariat, World Bank Group
• Colleen Connell, managing director for the Health Finance Coalition

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

5:10 p.m. ET

WHO's new chief scientist on the opportunities and challenges for innovation in global health
Speaker:
• Dr. Jeremy Farrar, chief scientist, WHO

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

5:25 p.m. ET

How countries should prepare for climate impacts on health
Speakers:
• Dr. Kaushik Sarkar, director of the Institute for Health Modelling & Climate Solutions (IMACS)
• Dr. Githinji Gitahi, group CEO, Amref Health Africa
• Dr. Maria Neira, director of department of public health, environmental, and social determinants of health, WHO
• Dr. Neil Buddy Shah, CEO, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)
• Virtual: Stefan Wheat, founder/advisor, ClimateRx.org

Interviewed by: Rumbi Chakamba, Associate Editor, Devex

6:05 p.m. ET

Closing the gap between digital innovation and public health progress
Speaker:
• Dr. Alain Labrique, director of the department of digital health and innovation, WHO

Interviewed by: Catherine Cheney, Senior Editor, Devex

6:20 p.m. ET

A community health worker's perspective on bringing more support to the frontlines of healthcare systems
Speaker:
• Margaret Odera, community health worker, Mathare, Kenya

Interviewed by: Sara Jerving, Senior Reporter, Devex