10th Geneva Health Forum will discuss health, environment and migration

Health, a common good: the 10 th edition of the Geneva Health Forum creates dialogue around major issues in global health.

From 27 to 29 May 2024, the Geneva Health Forum (GHF) will be welcoming representatives from all over the world the Campus Biotech in Geneva, alongside the World Health Assembly. Furthermore, two after work events open to the general public will provide an opportunity to exchange views with those who carry a strong message of commitment to ensuring that "health for all" is not just a slogan, but a reality. Three main topics will be discussed: the links between health and the environment, access to healthcare for migrants, and the eradication of malaria. 

As a major conference on global health, the GHF welcomes each year hundreds of participants from the political arena, academia, science and industry, as well as donors and field professionals from all over the world. Organised by the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) and the University of Geneva (UNIGE), it results from a close collaboration with the main global health and humanitarian players in Geneva, including the World Health Organisation (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
 
The GHF offers a unique platform to share field experiences and innovative, accessible and sustainable practices, as well as initiatives led by the scientific community and civil society. "The GHF sees itself as a politically impartial forum, which makes it the ideal place to present research results and discuss best practices for translating science into reality", stresses Antoine Flahault, Director of the Institute of Global Health at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and a member of the GHF Steering Committee. 

27 and 28 May: two exceptional sessions open to the public

"In our view, health must reflect a global social responsibility, equity and sustainability," says Sophia Achab, a psychiatrist at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine and the HUG, co-director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, and a member of the GHF Steering Committee. This is why this year the GHF is opening its doors to all interested, in Geneva and beyond. From 6pm onwards, the public will be able to talk to experts on two key issues. 

On Monday 27 May, the focus will be on climate change and its impact on health, particularly for the most vulnerable. The "Grand Jet d'Or" prize, worth CHF 50,000, will be awarded by the CEO of AXA Santé to a research project proposing innovative solutions against the impact of pollution. 

On Tuesday 28 May, migrants will share their own experience with access to healthcare and community-based support systems. SOS Méditerranée, winner of the prestigious Right Livelihood 2023 award for saving the lives of nearly 40,000 people at sea, will also be in the spotlight. The session will be hosted by the Lancet, to coincide with the publication of a special issue devoted to the health of migrants. 

The three themes of the GHF 2024

Health and the environment

Environmental degradation has a profound impact on health. Air pollution contributes directly to over 7 million deaths worldwide each year. In addition, climate change is leading to more and more natural disasters - droughts, floods, hurricanes - affecting agriculture and water resources. Human interference in ecosystems is not only reducing biodiversity, but is also creating the conditions for the emergence of new epidemics and increasing resistance to antibiotics. The first victims are low-income countries, exacerbating health inequalities.

Health and migration

Migrants are among the most vulnerable and face significant challenges to their physical, mental and social well-being. Their irregular legal status, language barriers, financial constraints and the health policies of host and transit countries hamper their access to even the most essential care. The situation of the world's 281 million migrants represents a global health crisis that requires urgent attention from the international community. The aim of the GHF is to assess the state of health of migrant and refugee populations and to highlight the simple and creative solutions developed by those working in the field. 

Towards the elimination of malaria

The malaria elimination strategy was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2015. It aims to reduce incidence and mortality rates by at least 90%, and to eliminate the disease in 35 countries by 2030. Despite some encouraging results, malaria remains a major challenge, with 249 million cases and 608,000 deaths per year. The arrival of two vaccines is raising new hopes, but their role remains to be defined, given existing prevention and treatment methods and the emergence of resistance to treatments and insecticides.

Full programme and registration for public events.