Health Diplomacy Alliance

Tag: youth

  • Health Diplomacy Must Start with People: Why Tunisia’s New World Bank Investment Risks Falling Short

    Health Diplomacy Must Start with People: Why Tunisia’s New World Bank Investment Risks Falling Short

    Tunisia’s health system is at a pivotal moment. With the World Bank’s recent approval of the US$125.16 million Tunisia Health System Strengthening Project, the country has the opportunity to modernize its infrastructure, equip its workforce, and redesign the delivery of essential services. Yet the initiative overlooks a critical dimension of sustainable health reform: the people it is meant to serve. Without meaningful investment in health education, community engagement, and population-level behaviour change, Tunisia risks building a more advanced system that still struggles to deliver better health outcomes for its citizens.

    Since 2011, Tunisia has undergone profound political, social, and institutional transformations,
    many of which have directly shaped its health sector. The 2014 Constitution put health as a universal, equitable, and non-discriminatory right. Health expenditure has steadily grown, reaching nearly 7% of GDP in 2021, and the country has made notable progress in life expectancy and vaccination coverage. Infant mortality has fallen by more than half since the early 2000s, and Tunisia often outperforms regional peers such as Morocco, and Egypt on key health indicators.

    Yet this progress hides deep and persistent inequalities. Despite constitutional commitments, 17% of the population remains without health coverage, and out-of-pocket expenditures still account for 38% of total health spending, pushing vulnerable families into poverty or forcing them to renounce to basic healthcare services. The public sector employs only half of the country’s physicians and controls less than one-third of advanced diagnostic equipment, leaving rural and remote regions chronically underserved.

    Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) now account for 82% of mortality and two-thirds of total health expenditures. Obesity affects more than a quarter of the population, smoking rates remain high (48% among men) and the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases continues to rise. These patterns reflect not only clinical gaps but widespread low health literacy, limited awareness of lifestyle risks, and an environment where poverty, pollution, and food insecurity shape daily life. Air and water pollution, unsafe waste disposal, and resource scarcity further strain both the health system and the communities it aims to protect.

    It is against this situation that the World Bank’s Tunisia Health System Strengthening Project must be evaluated. The project is structured around four pillars: strengthening system resilience; reorganizing preventive and primary care; upgrading emergency medical services; and supporting implementation, training, and project management.

    This is an ambitious, necessary, and forward-looking plan. Yet even a technically robust health system cannot achieve its goals if it operates in an environment where citizens lack the knowledge, resources, and incentives to pursue healthy lives. The project’s risk assessment and design fail to account for a fundamental truth: health systems and populations must evolve together. A system can only be as effective as the behaviours, awareness, and trust of the people who use it.

    There are five reasons why the initiative risks falling short without a people-centred complementary strategy:

    1. Low health literacy undermines preventive care
    Tunisians are not sufficiently informed about the risks of NCDs, the importance of nutrition,
    or the long-term impact of unhealthy lifestyles. Without public education campaigns and
    community-level outreach, the burden of disease will continue to rise regardless of system
    upgrades.

    2. Poverty limits healthy choices
    Access to fresh food, physical activity, and preventive services is still limited for most of the
    population. A modernized health system cannot compensate for the environmental and
    economic conditions that make unhealthy habits the default option.

    3. Absence of community engagement weakens trust
    Health diplomacy at national and international levels requires that citizens see themselves
    as partners, not passive recipients. Tunisia’s success stories in health prevention worked
    precisely because they integrated culture, sports, and local values.

    4. Lack of coordination among actors dilutes impact
    The Tunisian government, the World Bank, the WHO, neighbouring countries, and civic
    organizations all have a role to play. Yet without coordinated clusters and a multi-annual
    health-focused development plan, efforts will remain fragmented.

    5. Education and health are inseparable
    Tunisia’s challenges in both sectors reinforce one another. Without improving health literacy
    and school-based health education, the country’s human capital and its economic future
    remains at risk.

    If Tunisia and the World Bank aim to build a resilient, equitable, and accessible health system, they must look beyond infrastructure and technology. Strengthening hospitals and upgrading emergency fleets are vital, but so is building a population that understands, values, and actively participates in its own health.

    True health diplomacy begins with people. The World Bank’s investment can be transformative, but only if Tunisia seizes this moment to embed community engagement, education, and inclusion at the heart of its health strategy.

    Resources:

    WHO contribution in Tunisia (2019-2023): evaluation report. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2025. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/14f91528-588c-4a71-9951-35c7f530978d/content

    From burden to action: Tunisia steps up the fight against noncommunicable diseases. World Health Organization; 2025. https://www.emro.who.int/media/news/from-burden-to-action-tunisia-steps-up-the-fight-against-noncommunicable-diseases.html

    Giusc, M., Persiani, N. The experience of Tunisian public healthcare system toward decentralizacon to the reduccon of health inequalices in low-, middle- income countries. Int J Equity Health 23, 271 (2024). heps://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-024-02355-5

    New Project to Boost Tunisia’s Health System and Pandemic Response. World Bank; Press Release; May 28 2025. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/05/28/new-project-to-boost-tunisia-shealth-system-and-pandemic-response

    Tunisia Health System Strengthening Project (P507209). Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary; Appraisal Stage; Report No: ESRSA04001; February 2 2025.
    https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099030325044539035/pdf/P507209-495f5d10-1991-493b-b711-9417aa11f18e.pdf

    Abdel Ben Y. Educacon and health in Tunisia: is human capital at risk?. Economic Research Forum, December 31 2024. https://theforum.erf.org.eg/2024/12/23/education-and-health-in-tunisia-is-human-capital-at-risk/

  • Digital Health Week 2025: Advancing Global Digital Health Innovation

    Digital Health Week 2025: Advancing Global Digital Health Innovation

    Digital health holds tremendous promises for expanding access, improving care quality, and strengthening health systems globally. Yet its implementation remains uneven, shaped by regional disparities in governance, digital infrastructure, financing models, and institutional capacity. In the context of the recently launched WHO Global Digital Health Strategy (2025–2030), the Health Diplomacy Youth Network (HDYN) convened a cross-regional dialogue to examine these challenges and explore how young professionals can drive equitable, context-appropriate digital health transformation.

    The session opened with remarks from Abigail Salen, Visual and Content Manager, Nayon, who framed the discussion around the WHO Science Council’s four strategic pillars; Connect, Educate, Invest, and Evaluate. She emphasized that digital health must be guided by principles of equity, human-centered design, and responsible innovation.

    Adam Skali, Director of Innovation at CIES e-Health Innovation Centre, provided insights into the ongoing development of the European Health Data Space (EHDS). He noted that while the EHDS promises transformative opportunities for research and cross-border health data integration, its implementation is slowed by fragmentation across 27 member states, varying levels of technical readiness, and complex GDPR considerations. His perspective underscored that even in high-resource regions, digital health transformation requires navigating legal, political, and institutional tensions that extend beyond technology.

    Esther Opone, Research Fellow at the Digital Transformations for Health Lab, highlighted the importance of governance frameworks that address digital harms. She explained that well-intentioned digital health tools can create unintended consequences, dependence, overuse, misinformation, or psychosocial strain if policy safeguards are not in place. Her intervention emphasized that digital innovation must extend beyond clinical functions to include prevention, health promotion, and ethical design.

    In addition, Dr. Anthony Li, Preventive Medicine Physician at the National University Health System, stressed the need for digital health tools to demonstrate clear clinical and economic value. He noted that health systems often underestimate long-term maintenance, integration, and infrastructure costs. His remarks highlighted that sustainability, not novelty, must guide the adoption of digital health technologies.

    Rustam Shariq Mujtaba, External Relations Lead at HDYN, moderated the panel, steering a dynamic conversation on governance gaps, implementation barriers, and the role of youth leadership across Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

    The dialogue highlighted youth leaders’ unique role in advancing equitable digital health transformation through co-creation, active listening, and cross-regional learning. Panelists stressed that young professionals with digital fluency and lived experience are essential to shaping governance frameworks that reflect modern technological realities. The discussion concluded with a call to strengthen policy coherence, invest in capacity-building, and create structured pathways for meaningful youth engagement in digital governance.

  • 2025 Global Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR

    2025 Global Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR

    The 2025 Intergenerational Dialogue on AMR was a key initiative in the Health Diplomacy Alliance 7-7-7 Campaign during World AMR Awareness Week that highlighted seven actions on AMR led by seven stakeholder groups through seven days in the week.  

    The dialogue built on global momentum amplified youth perspectives through findings from a pre-event survey that seeked to understand their initiatives, concerns, and solutions towards an inclusive global governance on AMR, promote cross-generational exchanges on effective solutions, foster capacity-building and partnership, especially in last-mile settings, and develop actionable recommendations to embed inclusive engagement and health diplomacy within the global instruments governing AMR response grounded in a One Health approach.

    Summary

    Welcome and Introduction

    Diana RIZZOLIO | Coordinator, Geneva Environment Network | Co-Moderator

    Diana Rizzolio, Coordinator of the Geneva Environmental Network, opened the session by conveying warm greetings and setting the stage for the dialogue. She welcomed participants, framed the significance of the exchange, and underscored the value of bringing diverse voices together. In concluding her introduction, she invited the audience to turn their attention to the next speaker and formally introduced Katherine Urbáez.

    Katherine URBÁEZ | Founder & Executive Director, Health Diplomacy Alliance | Co-Moderator

    Katherine Urbáez, Executive Director of the Health Diplomacy Alliance, offered her opening remarks by outlining the purpose and spirit of the gathering. She described the AMR Week 7-7-7 Campaign, explaining how it showcased seven core actions from seven stakeholder groups across the seven days of the week. She noted that the Health Diplomacy Alliance highlighted AMR efforts in Geneva, online, and through hybrid formats, all while prioritizing engagement with global audiences in a multilingual, cross-sectoral, and intergenerational way. She walked participants through the key initiatives of the campaign, including the display of campaign and HDA flags on the Pont du Mont Blanc; an awareness stand at Geneva’s main train station, Gare Cornavin, featuring messages and activities from multiple supporting organizations; a social media effort spotlighting contributions from diverse global actors alongside the seven key actions on AMR; and the blue illumination of the Jet d’Eau at the center of Lac Léman. She concluded by underscoring the core aim of the campaign: to involve every category of stakeholder, bridge generations, and ensure the broadest possible diversity in AMR awareness and action.

    Presentation of findings from pre-event youth survey

    Bill Whilson A. BALJON | Working Group Liason, Health Diplomacy Youth Network

    Bill Whilson A. Baljon, Working Group Liaison of the Health Diplomacy Youth Network, presented outcomes and key messages from the pre event youth survey on AMR. He outlined three clear priority areas guiding youth perspectives on AMR. He emphasized the need to strengthen education and awareness efforts, expand surveillance and data-sharing mechanisms, and regulate antibiotic use more effectively, particularly within agriculture and livestock systems. He noted that young people unmistakably want to be part of the solution, and the wide range of activities they are eager to pursue—research, awareness initiatives, international negotiations, and digital advocacy—reflects their strong drive to contribute. He highlighted that this momentum reveals substantial potential at the global level, where youth feel more genuinely included and more encouraged to participate than they do within local or national settings.

    Keynote Address: Advancing national action on AMR

    H.E. Amb. Fernando LUGRIS | Member, the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance, Ambassador of Uruguay

    H.E. Amb. Fernando Lugris, Member of the Global Leaders Group on AMR and Ambassador of Uruguay, delivered the keynote address by presenting Uruguay’s stance on advancing national efforts against AMR and strengthening support for youth. He described how Uruguay marks AMR Awareness Week by convening institutions working across the issue to demonstrate ongoing progress. He affirmed that AMR remains a pressing challenge with far-reaching effects across health systems and the environment, stressing that “it is time to turn commitments into concrete actions.” He explained that Uruguay invests across multiple sectors—vaccines, pharmaceuticals, research, and veterinary sciences—to reinforce national readiness. He emphasized the value of collaboration between academia and government ministries, including partnerships with the Caribbean region, and underscored the significance of empowering young people in schools and universities. He encouraged stronger implementation of AMR action plans and noted the need for greater investment in diagnostics, innovation, and policymaking. He concluded by stressing that it is essential to ensure that future generations inherit a world safeguarded from the escalating risks posed by AMR.

    A cross-sectoral One Health discussion on key actions to prevent and mitigate AMR

    In the context of the triple planetary crisis, what key actions are needed to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR)? 

    Jacqueline ALVAREZ | Head, Chemicals and Health Branch, UN Environment Programme

    Ms Jacqueline Alvarez emphasized that very few people recognize AMR as an environmental concern or understand the reasons behind it. She framed her remarks within the context of the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution—explaining how rising temperatures heighten disease risks, and greater disease burdens intensify AMR. She noted that extreme weather events similarly exacerbate the issue, while shifts in soil health and biodiversity reveal the emergence and spread of resistance even when it cannot be directly observed. She underscored priority actions: strengthening governance, legislation, and regulatory frameworks; expanding knowledge and evidence through research to better understand the problem without delaying action, since resistant genes are already present in the environment; and maintaining a focus on prevention, where small steps can yield significant impact. She added that healthcare facilities pose major challenges and stressed that, for UNEP, children and youth are essential partners, as the rapid spread of information among younger generations is key to delivering the right messages.

    How do you envision that emerging professionals like you are contributing to solutions at the intersection of animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and what are the challenges you understand are still needed in your region?

    Prothoma KALIDAHA | Chair, Standing Committee on Animal Welfare 2025-2026, International Veterinary Students’ Association

    Ms Prothoma Kalidaha explained the intrinsic link between animal welfare and AMR, noting that animals fall sick more easily when their conditions are inadequate, resulting in heavier antibiotic use. She emphasized that promoting proper welfare is already a strong step toward ensuring healthier animals. She highlighted that even as students, young people can contribute meaningfully through awareness and action, particularly in regions where antibiotics are perceived as the quickest solution, making education vital. She pointed out that research is an area where young and undergraduate students can already participate. She also acknowledged persistent challenges, including the shortage of qualified veterinarians—especially in rural areas—which leads communities to rely on less qualified and cheaper alternatives. She closed by stressing that together, young professionals can make a real impact through prevention and by strengthening One Health, which she described as the most important point.

    How inclusive are the implementation of GAP and IPEA processes in ensuring intergenerational and multisectorial representation?

    Jean Pierre NYEMAZI | Director, Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Head, Governance & Strategic Initiatives Unit, AMR Department, World Health Organization

    Dr Jean Pierre Nyemazi highlighted the significance of the independent panel and affirmed that youth have been engaged as key stakeholders in its work. He explained that AMR becomes easier to address when coordination exists across all sectors and communities. He stressed that young people are not only beneficiaries but critical actors; therefore, early-career inclusion in AMR dialogue is essential. He noted that youth must be better represented at the national level, where they are often under-included, and emphasized that efforts must continue to expand their presence. He added that youth participation is needed in implementation as well, emphasizing that at every level, young people are indispensable.

    What are the key AMR challenges and awareness efforts in the Pacific Islands, and how are last-mile actions and populations, such as in Papua New Guinea, being included in AMR solutions?

    Simeon PETER | National President 2025-2027, Papua New Guinea Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship

    Simeon Peter explained that Pacific Island countries remain under-resourced in combating AMR, particularly regarding surveillance capacity. He underscored the need for increased laboratory personnel and expanded stewardship training. He noted that a Fleming Fund country grant supported by the Australian government is helping to build laboratory and hospital capacity for surveillance data, which in turn is used to design tailored programs to confront AMR challenges. He added that governments in the region are implementing WHO recommendations to develop national AMR plans. He emphasized that regulatory challenges significantly impact pharmaceutical supply chains, with a portion of imported drugs in Papua New Guinea being substandard, and noted that these medicines are sold over the counter and sometimes even on the streets rather than through pharmacies. 

    How do you see the engagement of youth in your region as part of the current global AMR governance, how representative is their participation across sectors, and what steps can be taken to improve inclusivity? 

    Karina KHATIC | Quadripartite Working Group on Youth Engagement for AMR

    Dr Karina Khatic affirmed that young people are increasingly receiving opportunities, platforms, and recognition as champions working on AMR. She emphasized that young researchers studying AMR require support to synthesize evidence across One Health dimensions. She stressed that youth should play a role in the implementation of global action plans and other instruments guiding AMR responses.

    How is the FAO addressing the link between food security and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through, and what can be done to enhance representative participation and collective action? 

    Dominique BURGEON | Director, Geneva Liaison Office, Food and Agriculture Organization

    Dominique Burgeon emphasized the deep connection between food security and AMR, noting that misuse in agriculture and livestock production threatens human, animal, and environmental health, and ultimately the safety of the whole supply chain. He outlined the FAO action plan on AMR, which focuses on reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use in crops, livestock, and aquaculture; promoting good farming practices; improving biosecurity; and encouraging alternatives such as vaccines and probiotics. He described FAO’s commitment to strengthening global antimicrobial surveillance through InFARM, which monitors antimicrobial use worldwide. He highlighted the RENOFARM initiative and its 5Gs—good health services, good production services, good alternatives, good connections, and good incentives—designed to help farmers enhance animal health and productivity safely and sustainably without relying on antibiotics. He noted FAO’s close collaboration with WHO, WOAH, and UNEP to align strategies and support countries implementing National Action Plans, alongside engagement with the Multistakeholder Partnership Platform to coordinate collective efforts. He emphasized representative participation and a whole-of-society approach involving farmers, veterinarians, food processors, policymakers, researchers, and communities. He added that governments are crucial for setting targets and sharing data transparently; smallholders need incentives and technical support to adopt improved practices; the private sector can invest in stewardship programs; and civil society can raise awareness and shift behaviors.

    How is antimicrobial resistance (AMR) being addressed in conflict and humanitarian settings, what key actions have been taken?

    Duha SHELLAH | Vice Chair, WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO) Youth Council

    Dr Duha Shellah described AMR as a daily reality in places experiencing prolonged conflict, where conditions that perpetuate resistance occur simultaneously—overcrowded shelters, damaged water and sanitation systems, shortages of essential antibiotics, and disrupted diagnostic and surveillance capacity. She detailed how the collapse of laboratory and clinical services restricts treatment options and complicates management for frontline young professionals. She noted that disrupted supply chains allow substandard and unregulated antibiotics to circulate, fueling resistance, while overcrowding accelerates infection transmission, including drug-resistant organisms, in environments with limited infection-control resources. She explained that data collection becomes fragmented, surveillance systems collapse, and access to laboratories narrows, creating a gap between the true AMR burden and what appears in national or global reports. She highlighted that youth-led networks are promoting safe antibiotic use, young researchers are contributing to community mapping and real-time recommendations, and youth volunteers are bridging health facilities and communities through triage and last-mile health education. She emphasized that experienced leaders provide strategic insight while youth mobilize on the ground, making intergenerational collaboration essential to AMR response. She concluded by stating that AMR must be integrated into emergency response plans, and that ensuring reliable access to quality-assured antibiotics and diagnostics, training frontline professionals in stewardship, strengthening surveillance capacity, and investing in youth-led efforts are critical.

    Antimicrobial stewardship is a national priority, and pharmacists play a key role in safe prescribing and guideline implementation. As a recent graduate, how would you use your understanding of stewardship to work with pharmacists and other professionals to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?

    Eleanor FONJI | Chairperson of Public Health, International Pharmaceutical Students Federation

    Eleanor Fonji emphasized the importance of informing and educating pharmacists and healthcare practitioners about how their actions influence AMR, paired with intervention training to strengthen stewardship practices. She explained that regularly updating knowledge through presentations on new developments and research is an effective educational approach. She noted that pharmacists contribute by reviewing antibiotic prescriptions in a timely manner, optimizing dosing, supporting clinicians with updated antimicrobial-therapy guidelines, and participating in case reviews and ward rounds. She stressed that stewardship is a collective responsibility in which all healthcare professionals understand the role they play in safeguarding antibiotics.

    What actions are needed in animal health to sustain global momentum on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and ensure the sector is involved in all multisectorial discussion and in the engagement  of all generations in the process?

    Javier  YUGUEROS MARCOS | Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance and Veterinary Products Department, World Organisation for Animal Health

    Javier Yugueros-Marcos explained that veterinary communities worldwide have faced around one hundred disease outbreaks in the past six months and emphasized that AMR stems from weak animal health systems, making their strengthening essential for veterinarians managing daily challenges. He described WOAH’s advocacy through bilateral engagement with Chief Veterinary Officers and regional conferences, supported by awareness campaigns. He highlighted the positive momentum within the animal-health community, noting that antimicrobial use in animals has shown a downward trend over the years. He referred to a 2024 WOAH economic study revealing that countries permitting antimicrobials as growth promoters use 45% more antimicrobials than countries that restrict such use. He emphasized that awareness, surveillance, and regulation are central to reducing AMR and noted that the youth pre-event survey aligns with these priorities. He mentioned that WOAH has created informative leaflets to translate complex UN political-declaration language into actionable steps for veterinarians. He emphasized the need to understand the planet as shared by humans and other animals, highlighting the interconnectedness and spillover potential between ecosystems. He stressed that education is a first priority to sensitize children to ecological interdependence, social responsibility, and AMR. He noted that multistakeholder coordination is essential for policy action, offering the example from WAAW where France released national antimicrobial-consumption reports for animals and humans, revealing a decline in animal use while human use rises—showing that progress in one sector does not guarantee system-wide success. He concluded by reaffirming WOAH’s commitment to helping youth establish cross-sectoral collaboration mechanisms at the national level to gain exposure and experience in addressing critical challenges.

    How can equity and access be strengthened in the design and implementation of key actions to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?

    Federica CASTELLANA | Secretary, Young World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA)

    Federica Castellana emphasized that equity and access begin by placing young professionals at the center of AMR discussions. She described how the Young WFPHA working group’s AMR chapter advances awareness, advocacy, and research while convening stakeholders from different regions within the youth age group, which helps highlight diverse needs and co-create solutions. She shared an example from Djibouti, where a community-centered One Health project championed by the Italian Red Cross has enabled community members and livestock owners to lead disease surveillance. Villagers are trained to collect and share data with local health authorities using a bottom-up approach, ensuring that AMR solutions reflect local realities.

    What is the role of health diplomacy in shaping and governing a collaborative, One Health–driven response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially when there are other health and political priorities?

    Yasmine BAIROUK | Intern, Health and Environment, Health Diplomacy Alliance

    Yasmine Bairouk explained that health diplomacy ensures global and regional AMR commitments are translated into effective, context-adapted national policies. She emphasized that monitoring and accountability are essential to understanding the real impact of political commitments. She announced that the Health Diplomacy Alliance will launch the Click-The-Box Initiative next year to support governments and the Quadripartite in monitoring accountability around political commitments. She highlighted diplomacy as a key mechanism to strengthen budgeting and financing, mobilize non-traditional sectors, and support innovation, diagnostics, and science. She concluded by stressing that global AMR communication must remain accessible and understandable for all.

    Closing

    Ms Katherine Urbáez closed the dialogue by summarizing the discussion and highlighting the key themes explored by the panelists. She underscored the importance of addressing the triple planetary crisis, the misuse of antimicrobials, the global action plan, healthy communities, political engagement, food security, biosecurity, livestock production, conflict settings, and data collection, while noting the trend of reduced antimicrobial use in animals. She emphasized how youth remain central across each of these dimensions of the AMR equation. She concluded the event by outlining the next steps toward 2026, reaffirming the importance of continuing to engage quadripartite organizations each year during World AMR Awareness Week.

  • Likes, Shares, and Side Effects: Misinformation’s Effects on Health

    Likes, Shares, and Side Effects: Misinformation’s Effects on Health

    Source – Authors

    In today’s era of information access and AI, it is becoming increasingly difficult to separate truth from well-made AI-generated content. Identifying AI becomes especially challenging because people aren’t usually in a discerning mindset when scrolling through the internet. Most of the time, they’re simply looking to relax and be distracted.

    That might be (debatably) fine when it comes to funny videos or memes, but it’s a very different story when health information is involved.

    It is now common for people to look up what help they need before they go to a doctor. This information helps them identify the type of care they receive, its costs, and how to exercise home remedies before they need to go to a medical professional. It follows that they must be informed with information that’s accurate, relevant, timely, up to date, and transparent. However, because of limited skills to access good quality health information, people tend to rely on information derived from social media, friends, and, increasingly, AI tools like ChatGPT.

    Online platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram are common sources of fast and easy information; however, this space also propagates harmful practices as they may provide people with misleading or biased, inaccurate, and poor-quality health information. This practice of misinformation (false or inaccurate information deliberately intended to deceive) and disinformation (deliberately misleading or biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; and propaganda) is one of the most rampant problems in healthcare that affects our generation.

    The situation has escalated to the point that healthcare systems’ efforts to eliminate life-threatening diseases have been severely impacted. In the Philippines, a state of panic broke out in 2019 following the re-emergence of polio, a disease previously declared eradicated in the country. This resurgence was closely linked to the widespread misinformation stemming from the dengue vaccine “Dengvaxia” controversy in 2017, where exaggerated claims about vaccines causing severe side effects or even death led to a sharp decline in public trust in immunization programs. As a result, misinformation became a key barrier to polio eradication efforts, with fear and vaccine hesitancy hampering the country’s disease prevention campaigns.

    To this day, low public trust in vaccination continues to affect routine immunization efforts, shown by a childhood immunization rate of 61%, far below the 95% target, leaving many children vulnerable to otherwise preventable deadly diseases.

    At the same time, while AI-powered tools offer unprecedented access to knowledge, their downsides must not be overlooked. AI models generate content based on vast datasets, but they do not inherently distinguish fact from fiction. Without proper verification, public information may be based on AI hallucinations. This complicates people’s ability to find genuinely evidence-based health information, which in turn may affect their health-seeking behavior. If individuals begin to mistrust physicians or delay consultations because of inaccurate online advice, the doctor–patient relationship may weaken, leading to poorer adherence to medical advice and potentially worse health outcomes.

    On the bright side, these infodemics and misinformation can be effectively addressed through multisectoral initiatives implemented at both macro and micro levels. While government interventions of developing legal measures and policies in the scene are essential, corresponding support must be provided in youth and community settings. Campaigns should aim to create awareness, improve health-related content, build trust in credible health organizations and experts, and generally enhance people’s literacy in both digital and health aspects for them to better assess and identify misinformation.

    Young people play a pivotal role in this dynamic landscape. With their strong online presence, young people are often the first to encounter, share, or challenge health-related content. Their digital fluency enables them to quickly amplify both accurate and inaccurate information. Harnessing this potential requires targeted interventions that empower youth to become responsible digital citizens. Training programs, peer-led campaigns, and collaborations with student and youth organizations can help shape a culture of critical thinking and fact-checking.

    Several global and local initiatives provide examples of how to effectively combat misinformation. For instance, the S.U.R.E. campaign in Singapore effectively combined government messaging, media partnerships, and youth ambassadors to promote fact-checking habits. Similarly, in the Philippines, UNICEF worked with Meta to analyze vaccine hesitancy trends and organize campaigns to increase confidence in routine vaccination. These examples highlight that coordinated strategies combining digital literacy, community engagement, and credible messengers can mitigate the harms of misinformation and restore confidence in healthcare.

    As the world grapples with the double-edged sword of digital and AI-driven information, safeguarding public health depends on more than just regulation. It requires a culture of discernment, responsibility, and trust. AI and social media will remain central in how people access health knowledge, but the key lies in empowering individuals, especially the youth, to navigate this landscape wisely. Let’s utilize the strategies offered by successful case studies and foster collaboration across sectors and societies to ensure health communication’ purpose: to inform, protect, and improve lives.

    About the Authors

     
     
    Bill Whilson Baljon is a pharmacist and public health advocate from the Philippines. He is dedicated to promoting health equity and empowering communities through his work in health promotion, policy advocacy, and community engagement. 

     

     

     Abigail Salen is a multimedia artist from the Philippines. She aims to utilize visual communication in health promotion and sustainable development, all dedicated to design for good.

    They are the co-founders of Yay! I’m Sober, a health awareness initiative in the Philippines that engages youth, businesses, and civil society organizations to encourage tobacco and alcohol cessation using youth-driven, inclusive, and supportive messaging.

  • UNODC Young Doctors Network Meeting in Vienna

    UNODC Young Doctors Network Meeting in Vienna

    Dr. António Marques Pinto, Vice-Chair of the Health Diplomacy Youth Network (HDYN), recently played an instrumental role in the first in-person meeting of the UNODC Young Doctors Network (YDN), convened in Vienna, Austria (March 2025), on the margins of the 68th Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). This high-level gathering, organized by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), brought together an exclusive cohort of early-career medical professionals selected from across the globe to deliberate one of the most complex and ethically charged challenges in global health governance: ensuring equitable access to internationally controlled medicines while simultaneously preventing diversion and misuse. Internationally recognized as the vanguard of medical and health diplomacy leadership, these individuals are not merely emerging professionals, but the undisputed elite of their generation: young medical leaders already shaping policy, driving innovation, and influencing global health narratives at the highest levels.

    The meeting featured in-depth technical exchanges with representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), and UNODC experts and high-level officers (including Ms. Candice Welsch, Director of Policy Analysis and Public Affairs at UNODC), with sessions exploring the regulatory, clinical, and ethical dimensions of drug control conventions in contemporary medical practice. Special emphasis was placed on the structural barriers to adequate pain management, palliative care provision, and the safe and effective use of controlled substances in humanitarian and low-resource settings.

    As an active contributor to the proceedings, Dr. António Marques Pinto played a key role in the drafting and delivery of the final joint statement issued by the YDN, which outlined five strategic areas for action: enhancing capacity-building through medical education; promoting independent research on access and diversion; strengthening community engagement in health policy design and implementation; supporting health professionals through digital tools and peer networks; and critically reviewing national policies that, absent scientific basis, hinder the rational and human rights–based use of essential medicines.

    More than a technical consultation, the meeting reaffirmed the vital role of youth leadership in redefining the architecture of global health diplomacy. In his interventions, Dr. Marques Pinto underscored the strategic value of elevating youth perspectives from mere consultation to positions of structured influence within multilateral governance. He emphasized that youth inclusion must be recognized not only as a matter of equity, but as a diplomatic asset: indispensable to the renewal, responsiveness, and legitimacy of international health institutions. He highlighted the urgent need for institutional frameworks that elevate youth-led expertise from peripheral consultation to structured influence in multilateral decision-making and indeed reaffirmed the HDYN’s commitment to strengthening the interface between scientific evidence, ethical responsibility, and diplomatic negotiation (three pillars that are indispensable in navigating the XXI century health policy landscape).

    The presence of these highly accomplished young physician-leaders (many of whom already occupy key roles in national health systems, international networks, and policy platforms) not only brought credibility and relevance to the international deliberations, but also helped anchor global health diplomacy in lived realities, professional integrity, and intergenerational equity, therefore sending a clear and powerful signal: the next generation is not waiting in the wings but is ready, equipped, and committed to leading the complex negotiations required to secure global health justice.

     

    Caption:

    Group photo of the UNODC Young Doctors Network, taken during the 68th Session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (Vienna, March 2025). At the center of the image stands Dr. António Marques Pinto, Vice-Chair of the Health Diplomacy Youth Network, to the right of Ms. Candice Welsch, Director of Policy Analysis and Public Affairs at UNODC. Standing at the far right is Dr. Elizabeth Sáenz, Drug Control and Crime Prevention Officer from the Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Section of UNODC Drug Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch.

  • More Than Medications: The Role of Pharmacists in Medical Device Counselling

    More Than Medications: The Role of Pharmacists in Medical Device Counselling

    It has often been the case that, when people imagine a pharmacist, they picture someone behind the counter, dispensing medications and offering advice on prescriptions. But in today’s modern healthcare landscape, pharmacists are stepping into a more expanded role—one that goes beyond medications to include preventive care and health monitoring.

     

    In line with this, as noncommunicable diseases are still the leading cause of global mortality, it is becoming more common for patients to use medical devices to monitor and take care of their health. That’s an area where pharmacists can come in, as having medical devices isn’t enough—knowing how to use them correctly is equally important, if not more.

     

    Pharmacists are recognised as the most accessible healthcare professionals, often the first to see patients with health concerns. Whether it’s a quick blood pressure check at the pharmacy or a discussion about managing blood sugar, pharmacists play a key role in educating patients about their medications and the medical devices that will help them stay healthy.

     

    For instance, patients newly diagnosed with diabetes are likely instructed to monitor their blood sugar, but without proper guidance, they might struggle with using a glucometer and end up with inaccurate measurements. A pharmacist who can counsel and demonstrate their use will ensure the patient avoids errors and unnecessary complications.

     

    Yet, despite this crucial role, many pharmacists may not be getting the training they need. A study among graduating BS pharmacy students in Metro Manila, Philippines, found that a significant number had limited knowledge of diabetes management devices, as 51.89% had low knowledge with insulin syringes, 26.89% with insulin pens, and 12.26% with glucometers.

     

    These numbers highlight an opportunity to integrate more optimized education and training. To equip pharmacists with the necessary skills, pharmacy education must evolve. Some suggestions that can be done include:

     

    • Curriculum Integration – Medical devices should be a core part of the pharmacy curriculum, with dedicated lessons on their function, proper use, and troubleshooting.

     

    • Hands-On Training – Practical experience with medical devices should be a standard part of pharmacy education, focusing on technique and counselling.

     

    • Ongoing Learning – Pharmacists should have access to workshops, certifications, and continuous professional development focused on medical device counselling, factoring in the differences of medical devices per manufacturer.

     

    As healthcare shifts toward prevention rather than just treatment, pharmacists also have a role to play. By knowing salient points of both medication and medical device counselling, they can further empower patients to take charge of their health. At the end of the day, a pharmacist’s job isn’t just about handing over the medicines listed in a prescription, they make sure that patients have the knowledge and confidence to manage their health effectively. 

  • Lakeside Diplomacy Stroll

    Lakeside Diplomacy Stroll

    On May 18, the Health Diplomacy Alliance successfully conducted a refreshing Lakeside Diplomacy Stroll in Geneva, where youth from multiple disciplines in global health and various regions around the world came together to walk along scenic Lake Leman, sharing stories and connecting over tea, coffee, and tartines.

     

    Watch the video below-

  • SDG Olympiads 2025: Empowering Global Youth in Geneva

    SDG Olympiads 2025: Empowering Global Youth in Geneva

    The SDG Olympiads 2025 are set to take place in Geneva, Switzerland, from October 10 to 13, 2025, hosted at the University of Geneva’s SDG Solution Space. This global competition brings together students to co-create innovative solutions aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).

    Building on the success of the 2024 edition in Paris, the 2025 Olympiads will focus on Planetary Health, emphasising the impact of climate change on human health. Participants will engage in team-based problem-solving, utilising tools like citizen science and artificial intelligence to address critical data gaps essential for achieving the SDGS.

    The event is part of a broader educational program that supports projects developed during the SDG Summer Schools and other innovation events worldwide. Selected teams will receive coaching to refine their prototypes, engage stakeholders, and prepare for the final showcase in Geneva, where an international jury will evaluate their solutions.

    Students interested in participating can apply through the University of Geneva’s Geneva Summer Schools website, with the application deadline set for April 30, 2025. Université de Genève

    For more information and to express interest in participating, visit the SDG Olympiad 2025 official page.

  • Mental Health Cyberdiplomacy in the Age of Algorithmic Trauma

    Mental Health Cyberdiplomacy in the Age of Algorithmic Trauma

    What if the most potent threats to mental health no longer emerge from violence—but from the screens we hold in our hands? As digital weapons evolve to target not just systems but minds, mental health diplomacy must either transform—or become obsolete. The global mental health community can no longer afford to treat cyberspace as outside its remit. Psychological warfare is no longer metaphorical. It is algorithmic, ambient, and deliberate—disabling not the body, but the will. 

    In my article “Advancing global mental health diplomacy through a rights-based approach”, published in The Lancet Psychiatry (Volume 12, Issue 4, pp. 247–249, April 2025), I proposed a redefinition of global mental health diplomacy—shifting it from ad hoc technical cooperation toward a strategic, rights-based pillar of international relations. I argued that diplomacy for mental health must not only promote service access, but protect psychological integrity, uphold dignity, and reinforce system-wide resilience. That article laid the foundation. But it is in the digital terrain that this diplomacy now finds its most urgent frontier. 

    Mental health cyberdiplomacy is the next step. It responds to a new class of threat—where trauma is no longer transmitted only through direct violence, but through information flows engineered to destabilise, disorient, and divide. This is no longer about technology alone. It is about how trauma travels, how trust dissolves, and how fear is weaponised—not just across borders, but across timelines, across generations. 

    Traditionally, cyberdiplomacy has focused on infrastructure, sovereignty, and the governance of data flows. It was never built to address psychological safety. Yet in today’s digital theatre, emotional disruption has become an instrument of statecraft. Disinformation campaigns, synthetic media, and algorithmic manipulation are now deployed to fracture perception, destabilise identity, and erode public sanity. Minds are no longer merely influenced—they are targeted. Emotions are triggered at scale. And the consequences for mental health are no longer speculative. 

    We are witnessing the rise of a new psychological condition: geopolitical anxiety—a state of digitally mediated distress induced not by direct exposure to violence, but by ambient proximity to crisis. Endless feeds of war, collapse, and catastrophe create a recursive sense of helplessness. People are not merely observing the world unravel—they are experiencing it internally. Clinical symptoms—emotional numbing, sleep disruption, suicidal ideation—are surfacing among those never physically near the trauma. This is a new category of harm: cumulative, distributed, and algorithmically delivered. 

    Some institutions have begun to recognise this mental toll. There are cautious moves toward regulating harmful content, improving digital literacy, or embedding psychosocial elements into public discourse. But these efforts remain fragmented. They are reactive rather than strategic. They respond to symptoms, not systems. They signal awareness, but lack cohesion, scope, and diplomatic reach. What emerges is not a framework—but a vacuum. Mental health cyberdiplomacy does not describe what already exists. It proposes what must. 

    We need a new diplomatic architecture—one that embeds psychological protection into the governance of cyberspace. This architecture must be multidimensional and anticipatory. It must operate across four strategic axes: 

    • Representation – Mental health must be positioned at every cybernorm table: from the UN Open-Ended Working Group to the Global Digital Compact. Psychological safety must be recognised as a pillar of digital governance, no less than infrastructure integrity or data protection. 
    • Accountability – Platforms and algorithms must be held to standards that prevent the amplification of trauma and the normalisation of emotional harm. Independent auditing, algorithmic transparency, and trauma-informed digital design must become standard, not exceptional. 
    • Law – Psychological operations that intentionally destabilise populations must be named and framed as violations of international law. This is not merely cybercrime. It is psychological targeting. And its costs are collective. 
    • Resilience – Cognitive preparedness, emotional immunity, and digital mental health literacy must be embedded into education, civic infrastructure, and crisis response. These are not soft skills. They are core elements of democratic durability. 

     

    Mental health cyberdiplomacy must operate across the full arc of crisis: preparing systems before conflict, defending psychological integrity during it, and supporting trauma-informed recovery afterward. It must be present where systems are stressed, where fragmentation is accelerating, and where minds become theatres of geopolitical contestation. 

    The foundations are already in place. The WHO QualityRights framework, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and the WHO Mental Health Action Plan articulate a vision of rights-based, person-centred mental health systems. My Lancet Psychiatry article called for these tools to be interpreted not only as health policy instruments, but as diplomatic assets—capable of shaping global norms and enabling systemic protection against psychological harms. But without an extension into the cyber domain, that protection remains incomplete. 

    Unprocessed trauma is not neutral. It compounds over time. It corrodes public trust, destabilises institutions, and accelerates radicalisation. In an era defined by ambient fear and engineered outrage, defending the mind is no longer a clinical concern. It is a geopolitical imperative. 

    This is not about sanitising the internet or regulating emotion. It is about preserving the conditions that make peace and democracy viable. In a hyperconnected world, the battlefield is cognitive. And in that battlefield, mental health is no longer a background issue. It is a strategic domain. 

    Diplomacy must evolve to meet that reality—not incrementally, but systemically. If we fail to embed psychological protection into the infrastructure of our digital societies, we risk raising a generation fluent in fear, numbed to violence, and uncertain of what is real. We have built firewalls to defend our systems. Now we must build firewalls to protect our minds—from manipulation, from fragmentation, and from algorithmic despair. 

    This strategic evolution also informs the development of MHPSS-C—Mental Health and Psychosocial Support integrated with Cyberresilience—a new operational model I have proposed to address the intersection of psychological vulnerability and digital threat. The framework, detailed in a forthcoming policy brief, aims to operationalise protection where trauma, code, and cognition now converge. 

    Mental health cyberdiplomacy begins here—not as a reaction, but as a new logic. Not as a commentary, but as a call to reimagine how we safeguard the human condition in the digital age. 

    About The Author

    Dr Jakub S. Bil is a global health systems advisor specialising in mental health, resilience, and strategic governance. He co-chairs the Universal Health Coverage Working Group within the Global Mental Health Action Network and represents Frombork Psychiatric Hospital in national and multilateral reform efforts. His work explores the intersection of psychological integrity, institutional design, and cybergovernance in times of systemic disruption.

  • Raising Youth Voices: A Discussion on Equity and Decolonisation in Public Health

    Raising Youth Voices: A Discussion on Equity and Decolonisation in Public Health

    4th Global Public Health Week

    09 April, 2025. 14:00-15:00 CET

    Raising Youth Voices: A Discussion on Equity and Decolonisation in Public Health 

     

    Co-hosts: Health Diplomacy Youth Network, Young World Federation of Public Health Associations, International Pharmaceutical Students Federation, International Veterinary Students Association, Europubhealth Students and Alumni Association and International Federation of Medical Students Association

    Rationale: Youth remain under-represented in global health policy, advocacy, and diplomacy while facing barriers to public health education. Health curricula worldwide still contend with colonial legacies requiring revision. In response, youth organisations drafted the 2024 Youth Manifesto, outlining concerns, priorities, and solutions for equity and decolonisation in public health. This webinar aimed to advance these discussions from reflection to action by engaging young professionals in shaping equitable policies.

    The webinar opened with remarks from Emma Rawson Te-Patu, President of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, highlighting individual agency and choice from indigenous perspectives as foundations for youth inclusion and decolonisation. Following this opening, pre-webinar survey results were presented, revealing that youth across multiple regions share common concerns: lack of representation in decision-making and socioeconomic barriers limiting public health engagement opportunities.

    A panel discussion followed, featuring representatives from youth organisations, Jamie Bonifacio Jr., Europubhealth Students and Alumni Association, outlined methodologies for equitable youth inclusion in their initiatives. The panellists emphasised the importance of “decolonising mindsets” to promote inclusive thinking. A young pharmacist, Mark Daguman, International Pharmaceutical Students Federation on the panel stressed ensuring access to quality, safe, and affordable medications, while Zeineldin Elmikaty, International Federation of Medical Students Association, highlighted the need for health curricula to integrate colonialism’s history and impact by exposing students to social and community-driven determinants.

    Dr Abhishek Bhatia, Health Diplomacy Youth Network, a membership-based youth network, described their approach, explaining how their network serves as a key component of their parent organisation’s advisory board and implements youth-led and youth-driven initiatives in global health policy. The session concluded by affirming that raising youth voices resonates across participating organisations, and that discussions on Youth Manifesto advocacy and implementation must become an ongoing process with annual monitoring, evaluation, and revision.

    Key takeaways:

    1. Decolonisation begins in the mind, wherein everyone needs to start approaching public health in a novel, inclusive equitable manner.
    2. A transition from the top-down predominant focus of bringing people to public health and making it bottom up and inclusive, where public health comes to people and is accessible to all communities globally.
    3. Youth organisations share a commitment to ensure a participation-based approach towards youth inclusion in their decisions and initiatives.

     

    Watch the full video here- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3Pg-FiVono