Bridging Health and Peace: Report on WHA Side Event
Bridging Health and Peace: Advancing the Global Health and Peace Initiative at the World Health Assembly
Photos: Keisuke Oda
Geneva, 21 May 2026 - During the World Health Assembly, WONCA and the World Federation of Public Health Associations (WFPHA) convened the side event “Bridging Health and Peace: Accelerating the Global Health and Peace Initiative in Turbulent Times”, bringing together WHO, Member States, health professional organisations and academic experts to discuss how health systems can help protect dignity, build trust and support peace in fragile settings.
The event, moderated by Dr Kim Yu, WONCA-WHO Liaison, opened with a WHO technical update from Mr Guillaume Simonian, Unit Head for Humanitarian Policy and Interagency Coordination. He underlined the central premise of the Global Health and Peace Initiative: health services can do more than respond to crisis. When designed with conflict sensitivity, equity and community trust in mind, they can reduce grievances, sustain dialogue and support social cohesion.
Member State perspectives from Oman, Brazil, Spain and Slovenia reinforced the urgency of moving from resolution to implementation. Oman highlighted its longstanding role as a bridge builder and called for health diplomacy to become a practical methodology, including through resilient primary health care, workforce training and the use of WHO Collaborating Centres as regional hubs for learning and evidence generation. Brazil reflected on universal health coverage, solidarity and the role of inclusive health systems in caring for migrants, refugees and border populations. Spain emphasised that peace, social stability and the protection of health facilities form essential determinants of health, calling for guaranteed access to care for people affected by conflict, including refugees, asylum seekers and undocumented migrants. Slovenia stressed the importance of international humanitarian law, protection of civilians and health workers, human rights, prevention, multilateral cooperation and sustainable financing for the GHPI roadmap.
From the health systems perspective, Professor Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, WONCA President, emphasised the role of family doctors and primary care teams in helping communities maintain continuity, dignity and trust during instability. She reminded participants that people affected by conflict often need immediate, practical care: vaccinations, maternal care, essential medicines, mental health support, chronic disease management and safe access to trusted health professionals.
For WONCA, strengthening primary health care in fragile and conflict-affected settings means protecting clinics, supporting health workers, maintaining referral pathways, listening to communities and ensuring that health services remain available when people need them most.
Professor Bettina Borisch, Chief Executive Officer of the World Federation of Public Health Associations, framed conflict as a public health emergency and peace as more than the absence of war. She emphasised that public health begins where people live, learn, work and care for one another, and that reducing inequality, protecting vulnerable groups, addressing misinformation and building social trust all contribute to peace.
Representing the International Council of Nurses, Dr José Luis Cobos Serrano spoke on behalf of the world’s nurses, highlighting their role on the front lines of emergencies, conflicts and humanitarian crises. He called for stronger protection of nurses and all health workers, condemned attacks on health care and stressed that investment in nursing leadership strengthens communities, health system resilience and peace.
Professor Sir Andrew Haines of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine added a vital planetary health perspective. He described the links between climate change, resource scarcity, displacement, inequality and conflict, and called for a broader definition of security: one that protects human health within planetary boundaries. He also recognised the contribution of family doctors and WONCA’s work on planetary health in advancing this agenda.
The discussion made clear that health and peace cannot sit in separate silos. Health systems can protect people during conflict, but they can also help prevent division, build confidence in institutions and support recovery. Primary health care, public health, nursing, health diplomacy, human rights and planetary health all have a role to play.
For WONCA, the message was clear: family doctors and primary care teams stand close to people’s everyday lives. They often serve as trusted first points of contact for families facing fear, displacement, uncertainty and loss. Supporting them means supporting communities, strengthening resilience and helping translate the Global Health and Peace Initiative into practical action.
As participants concluded, the event offered a shared call to action: protect health workers and civilians, keep health services functioning in fragile settings, invest in inclusive primary health care, strengthen partnerships, and build the evidence, capacity and political commitment needed to make health a bridge to peace.
Watch the full recording: Bridging Health and Peace: Accelerating the Global Health and Peace Initiative in Turbulent Times
