Connecting the Unconnected
World Health Assembly 2026 (WHA#79)
18 - 20 May 2026
The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA#79) will take place in Geneva in May 2026, convening global health leaders, governments, innovators, investors, and partners to shape the future of equitable and resilient health systems. As the world’s highest decision-making body for global health, WHA provides a critical platform for dialogue, collaboration, and action on the most pressing health challenges facing countries today.
Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx) will once again host and participate in a series of high-level side events from 18 - 20 May, alongside WHA 2026, building on our role as a neutral convener at the intersection of innovation, policy, and finance. Our engagement will focus on advancing practical, scalable solutions that strengthen health systems, particularly in climate-vulnerable and underserved settings.
HIEx at WHA#79
At WHA 2026, HIEx will convene leaders to explore how Sovereign AI, robotics in healthcare, resilient cities, and innovative financing can be harnessed to expand equitable access to care and build long-term system resilience. The discussions will be grounded in real-world use cases and country priorities, with a strong emphasis on shared public infrastructure and cross-sector collaboration.
Building on momentum from previous HIEx convenings at WHA, UNGA, and the World Health Summit, the 2026 program will bring together ministries, innovators, investors, academia, and the private sector to move beyond dialogue toward implementation. Particular attention will be given to emerging and frontier markets, including Africa and Southeast Asia, where digital and climate-resilient health solutions are urgently needed.
FOCUS AREAS
HIEx’s engagement at WHA 2026 will centre around the following interconnected themes:
Responsible AI & Digital Transformation – including shared public AI infrastructure and responsible deployment in health systems
Robotics in Healthcare – advancing surgical robotics, remote care, and automation to expand access, improve precision, and strengthen health system capacity in resource-constrained settings
Resilient Cities & Climate-Health Systems – strengthening urban and regional health resilience to climate shocks
Innovative & Blended Financing – unlocking capital to scale health innovation sustainably
Advanced Therapies & Oncology Access – expanding equitable access to life-saving treatments
Women-Led Entrepreneurship – amplifying the role of female innovators in health and climate solutions
Mental Health & Traditional Medicine – advancing inclusive, culturally relevant models of care
what to expect
HIEx’s WHA 2026 program will feature a dynamic and interactive format designed to catalyse action, including:
An Opening Plenary with global leaders
Thematic Sessions across priority focus areas
Reverse Pitch Sessions, enabling Ministries of Health to present real system needs directly to innovators
An Innovation Marketplace showcasing curated solutions in health, AI, climate, and innovative financing
Targeted Bilateral Meetings and Investment Engagements to accelerate partnerships
A detailed program, speaker lineup, and registration information will be announced closer to the event.
EVENT PROGRAM
19 MAY 2026
Engineering the Future of Health
How frontier bioengineering is reshaping prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
07:30 – 09:00 | Caring Cross, HIEx
Catalysts on the Rise
Unlocking the potential of female and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
09:00 – 09:45 | Reckitt Catalyst, HIEx
Innovation Demo Day
Bridging promising pilots with real-world scale.
10:00 – 10:45 | WHO TM, Bayer Foundation, Reckitt, Pegasus, Bioprevail, HIEx
Preparedness Reimagined
Strengthening rapid response through innovation and coordination.
11:00 – 11:45 | Reme-D, HIEx
Integrating Tradition and Technology
Reframing community-centered care through innovation.
12:00 – 12:45 | HIEx
Reverse Pitch — Governments Setting the Innovation Agenda
Ministers present real health system challenges in demand-driven dialogue.
13:00 – 13:45 | HIEx
Registration opens soon
Registration opens soon
AI Agents, Digital Twins & Robotics: Building Intelligent Health Resilience
How AI agents and digital twins can transform surveillance, care navigation and resilience efficiency.
14:00 – 14:45 | Qure.ai, HIEx
Resilient Cities on the Frontline
Climate-adaptive models for resilient urban health systems.
15:00 – 15:45 | Bayer Foundation, Swasti, HIEx
High-Tea Exchange: Innovative Finance to Scale
Mobilizing innovative financing to scale health solutions.
16:00 – 16:45 | HIEx
Registration opens soon
Registration opens soon
Registration opens soon
Safeguarding Futures — Innovation for Children’s Mental Health
Advancing scalable solutions for the next generation’s wellbeing.
17:00 – 17:45 | UAlbany, HIEx
Reimagining NCD, Dx & Care
Scaling smarter diagnosis and care pathways for diabetes, cancer, CKD and cardiovascular disease.
18:00 – 18:45 | HIEx
Ending TB Through Innovation & Equity
Accelerating partnerships to eliminate tuberculosis.
19:00 – 20:15 | Stop TB Partnership, HIEx
Registration opens soon
Registration opens soon
Join Us
We invite you to register your interest to stay up to date on our sessions, focus areas, and opportunities to engage during our event.
We look forward to welcoming you to Geneva!
OR leave us your details by filling out the form below and we will get back to you!