Isabel Mestres: What is the World Health Assembly and why is it so important for City Cancer Challenge?

Isabel Mestres shared on LinkedIn:

“What is the World Health Assembly (WHA) and why is it so important for City Cancer Challenge (C/Can)?

The WHA is the main decision-making body for the World Health Organization (WHO). Every year in May, delegates from all Member States, including Ministers of Health, gather to discuss and decide on key health priorities.

Having C/Can cities national MOHs in Geneva is a unique opportunity for us to engage in bilateral meetings, such us the meeting with the Cambodian Minister of Health Chheang Ra, where we reported on progress, discuss alignment with national priorities and specific projects we will be advancing together to improve cancer care equity in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

In addition to all the bilateral meetings, the C/Can team hosted and spoke in 25+ roundtables to discuss impactful ways to advance global health equity. Here are just a few examples of the discussions I was thrilled to engage in:

• How can global organizations bring decision-making power to the people they serve?

With Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye (Ministry Of Health, Ghana), Dr. Githinji Gitahi (AMREF), Sania Nishtar (Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance), Mohammed Abdulaziz (Africa CDC), Tara Simpson (USAID), Klaus Schlueter (MSD), and Suzanne Silantoi. L (Nairobi City County).

• How can we bring healthcare innovations to underserved communities?

With Leticia Boatman and Elisabeth Staudinger (Siemens Healthineers), Helga Fogstad (UNICEF), Ruchika Singhal (Medtronic LABS), and Monique Vledder (The World Bank).

• How can implementation research support better health outcomes?

With Dr. Elisabete Weiderpass (IARC), Richard Sullivan (ICP), Andrew Hockey (Sanofi), Suzanne Silantoi. L (Nairobi City County), and Dr. Jimoh Olawale Salaudeen (Ministry of Health Nigeria).

I would like to thank every single person I had the opportunity to meet during WHA77 each one of you gave me further inspiration to continue with our collective mission to improve cancer care worldwide.”

Source: Isabel Mestres/LinkedIn

Isabel Mestres is the CEO of the City Cancer Challenge (C/Can), previously being the Director of Global Public Affairs. She also led initiatives in membership and partnership development at the International Union for Cancer Control. Mestres’ strategic sense positions her to propel C/Can forward, advancing its mission of enhancing cancer care accessibility in low- and middle-income nations.