Colleagues from Cambridge Public Health attended the 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva, contributing to high-level discussions at the intersection of global health policy, primary care, public health, and health equity.
Representing Cambridge Public Health were Dr Shobhana Nagraj (Department of Public Health & Primary Care), Dr Tom Bashford (Department of Engineering), who co-lead the Global Health Theme within Cambridge Public Health, alongside colleagues from across the University.
Members of Cambridge Public Health contributed to a series of international meetings focused on community health systems, healthcare delivery, and measuring what matters in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH). These discussions brought together policymakers, funders, researchers and implementation partners to explore whether current global health metrics adequately capture outcomes that are meaningful to communities. The engagement reflected Cambridge Public Health's commitment to strengthening people-centred approaches to health systems, measurement, and evaluation.
Together with Professor Peter Hutchinson, who co-leads the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spinal Injury, and collaborators from Cambridge and partner institutions, colleagues also engaged with the G4 Alliance, advocating for equitable access to surgical, obstetric, anaesthetic and trauma care. Discussions during the global coalition for Traumatic Brain Injury side event, included the proposed recognition of traumatic brain injury as a notifiable condition, an issue with important implications for epidemiology, health systems planning, and policy development. These sessions highlighted the role that academic institutions can play in informing and shaping global health policy.
Beyond formal meetings, colleagues participated in the WHO's Walk the Talk: Health for All Challenge, joining thousands of health professionals from around the world in a public commitment to universal health coverage and health equity.
Through engagement with multilateral organisations, policymakers, and international partners, Cambridge Public Health continues to strengthen its contribution to global health policy and research translation, recognising that addressing complex health challenges requires sustained collaboration between academia, health systems, and global institutions.