The World Health Summit (WHS) is a key annual gathering that convenes actors from science, politics, civil society, and the private sector to address international health challenges. Since its founding in 2009, it has grown into a strategic forum shaping global health policy and cooperation.
The WHS was launched in 2009 as part of the 300-year celebration of Berlin’s Charité hospital and was initiated by Detlev Ganten, former CEO of Charité. From the outset, it has operated under the patronage of the German Chancellor and the President of the Republic of France; since 2019, the Director-General of WHO has joined as patron.
The WHS is supported by its academic foundation, the WHS Academic Alliance, which comprises universities, research institutes, and health centers globally.
The stated mission of WHS is to advance global health as a political priority, foster multisectoral partnerships, and catalyze solutions in research, financing, and implementation of health innovations. Its agenda is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those concerning health equity, pandemic preparedness, and system resilience.
The 2025 World Health Summit is scheduled to take place from October 12-14 in Berlin, Germany, with hybrid participation (onsite and online). The theme for this year is “Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World.” The 2025 program is expected to include more than 70 sessions covering topics like climate change, digital innovation, equity, global health governance, and financing.
WHS aims to:
Set global health agendas by bringing evidence-based insights to policymakers.
Foster interdisciplinary collaboration across sectors, including research, commerce, and governance.
Mobilize funding and commitments toward global health challenges.
Address emerging health priorities, including pandemic preparedness, climate and health, noncommunicable diseases, digital health, and equitable access.
In recent editions, WHS has prompted major funding pledges and mobilization of resources. The 2024 summit supported a WHO Investment Round, and WHS sessions have backed calls to reduce premature mortality and invest in maternal, child, and adolescent health.
In April 2025, WHS held a Regional Meeting in New Delhi, during which India’s experiences in primary care, noncommunicable disease prevention, and digital health infrastructure were spotlighted. WHS President Axel R. Pries emphasized that investment in prevention and primary systems is key to sustainable health outcomes.
In October 2025, German Federal Health Minister Nina Warken addressed funding challenges at WHS, urging reduced reliance on external aid and advocating for reforms in global health financing.
References
World Health Summit. WHS 2025 Program. “WHS 2025 Program — Berlin, October 12-14, 2025.” Accessed October 2025. https://www.worldhealthsummit.org/program?date=2025-10-13.
World Health Summit. “What Is World Health Summit? (WHS 2025 Regional Meeting, New Delhi).” WHS New Delhi 2025. Accessed 2025. https://whsnewdelhi2025.com/world-health-summit.php.
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