From Global Conversations to Local Action: Building Momentum Across WHIS Communities
This week has been a powerful reminder that meaningful change in global health does not happen in isolation it happens through people, partnerships, and purpose.
Across the World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) network, we have continued to build momentum by strengthening our global community while enabling local action. At the heart of this work is a simple but important principle: health and wellbeing must be shaped with communities, not for them.
Over the past two weeks, Ushma and I have had the privilege of meeting with volunteers from across the world as we develop our Global Chapters. These conversations have been inspiring. They reflect a shared commitment to tackling health inequalities, advancing prevention, and delivering more person-centred care.
I am particularly pleased to welcome new leadership emerging within our network. David Kerr from Ireland is now supporting our EU coordination, and we are delighted to welcome Rob Carry to the WHIS Ireland Chapter. These are the kinds of grassroots leaders who will help translate global ambition into real-world impact.
Our country chapters continue to grow, with active engagement now underway in India, Italy, Argentina, the UK, and Portugal. Each chapter brings its own unique context, but all are aligned in a shared mission to create healthier, more resilient communities.
In London, we are seeing this mission come to life. Next week marks the first WHISTalks hosted by the WHIS London Chapter. These conversations are designed to challenge thinking, address difficult topics such as racism and patient safety, and ultimately drive better outcomes through dialogue and action.
Alongside community engagement, policy continues to play a critical role. This week’s event with Rypple and UNITE Parliamentarians on Global Health demonstrated the importance of moving from policy intent to system change. We look forward to sharing the declaration that emerged from these discussions, which we hope will contribute to meaningful reform.
We are also seeing increasing interest in how individuals and organisations can support this work. Whether through funding, collaboration, or advocacy, there is a growing recognition that investing in health and wellbeing is not just a moral imperative it is an economic and societal necessity. Our recent blog on building a legacy that transforms global health explores this further.
As we look ahead, our next Global Health Webinar on May 14 will continue to bring together voices from across sectors and geographies. These moments of connection are critical they help us learn, challenge assumptions, and co-create solutions.
This is what WHIS is about: connecting people, sharing knowledge, and turning ideas into action.
Thank you to everyone who is part of this journey. Together, we are not just talking about change we are delivering it.
Gareth Presch CEO, Founder, World Health Innovation Summit