From October 12 to 14, I had the privilege of joining global leaders, scientists, health advocates, and community representatives in Berlin, Germany, for the World Health Summit 2025. This year’s theme, “Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World,” couldn’t have been more timely. We are living through an era where global unity feels fragile, and yet, our collective health depends on precisely that: unity, collaboration, and shared responsibility.
I attended the Summit with support from the Global Fund Advocates Network (GFAN) to bring the voices of communities living with and affected by HIV into the room and to remind the world why the Global Fund’s upcoming replenishment is not just a financial goal, but a lifeline for millions.
A different kind of space
The World Health Summit felt unlike any other space I’ve been part of. It brought together everyone, including representatives from governments, scientists, private sector actors, and civil society, all under one roof. The conversations were rich in technical detail, featuring innovations in medicine, AI tools to advance health outcomes, progress against HIV, TB and malaria, and new strategies for tackling non-communicable diseases.
It was inspiring, yes, but I felt like something was missing.
Amid all the data, technologies, and impressive innovations, I found myself asking: Where are the people? Where are the voices of women, children, young people, and communities affected by these diseases—the very individuals who make the statistics meaningful? We are living in one of the most challenging times, and now more than ever, the voices of young people, women, girls, and communities need to be amplified and acted upon. The World Health Summit is a significant platform that should feature the stories of real people who rely on health services and who are severely impacted by funding cuts and aid reductions. We can develop all the innovations and new technologies we want, but if communities are not recognised or prioritised in these efforts, all initiatives will ultimately be futile.
For many of us working in community spaces, this was a stark reminder that progress in health means little if it does not involve or reach those who need it the most.
Re-centring people and communities in responses to HIV
At the opening night event, I had the opportunity to speak about why a fully replenished Global Fund is vital, not just to fight HIV, TB, and malaria, but to sustain lives and build resilient health systems that start with people, not profit. Since 2002, the Global Fund has shown that when communities lead, progress follows.
That’s why Germany’s announcement of a €1 billion pledge for the next grant cycle (2026–2028) was such an important moment. It sent a clear message of solidarity, a commitment not only to saving lives but also to investing in the leadership of those most affected.
“With innovations like lenacapavir, AI-powered TB detection, and smart mosquito nets, we have the tools; now we need the political will.”Peter Sands
Executive Director of the Global Fund
[Left to right: Peter Sands accepting Germany’s pledge to the Global Fund’s Replenishment, Priscilla Ama Addo speaking as the youth representative]
The power of youth leadership
One of my fondest moments at the Summit was seeing Horacio Barreda, the Board Chair of Y+ Global, take the stage at a Signature Event. His message was clear and deeply resonant: ending epidemics is an act of justice, not charity, and young people must be at the heart of that effort.
“Sustainability begins with leadership. And that means investing in young people who are inevitably involved in improving access to healthcare on the ground.”Horacio Barreda
the Board Chair of Y+ Global
Horacio’s words truly captured a sentiment many of us share: the next generation of advocates—young, passionate, and rooted in their communities—are not just the future; they are the present.
As a young health advocate, I deeply resonated with Horacio’s speech because I witness daily the significant impact young people make in the world. When they are not supported, nurtured, and believed in, health systems falter, and tailored health services fail to reach those who need them most. We cannot hope for a better future if we do not recognise young people as leaders and not just beneficiaries.
[Horacio Barreda, Board Chair of Y+ Global, speaking at the World Health Summit Signature Event]
Reflections and takeaways
As I left Berlin, I carried with me both a sense of urgency and hope. Urgency because the challenges are immense, but hope because spaces like this remind me that when we centre on people, progress follows.
The Summit reinforced for me that innovation must always serve people, not replace them. It reminded me that funding the Global Fund means funding lives; every pledge and every euro translates into real impact for families and communities worldwide. It was also a powerful call to invest in young leaders, because sustainability and resilience begin with their leadership. Above all, it reaffirmed the need for global solidarity in a world that often feels divided. Collaboration, trust, and shared purpose remain our most powerful tools to advance health and human dignity for all.
Now, more than ever, we need leaders who listen, funders who trust, and systems that prioritise people.