With a record wave of new commitments to SURGfund, the catalytic model for surgical care is moving from proof of concept towards scale — and the results are already saving lives.

On 18 May 2026, the Global Surgery Foundation returned to the World Health Assembly with What's Next for Philanthropy: Investing in Local Leaders for Impact, a WHA79 side-event at the Hôtel InterContinental in Geneva and online. Watch the recording and download the report.

At the upcoming Clinton Global Initiative 2025 Meeting in New York, the Global Surgery Foundation will announce a new Commitment to Action focused on expanding access to safe caesarean section and maternal surgical care in low-resource settings. This builds on a recently launched SURGfund-supported project in Kenya, aiming to reach over 25,000 mothers and newborns each year.

Surgery saves lives—but for billions, it’s still out of reach. At this year’s World Health Assembly, that reality took centre stage. With new catalytic investments into SURGfund, the days of treating surgical care as a side note in global health are over. It’s now a frontline strategy to strengthen systems, save lives, and deliver on the promise of universal health coverage.

On 19 May 2025, the Global Surgery Foundation brought global leaders together at the Hôtel InterContinental in Geneva and online for its WHA78 side-event, Accelerating Catalytic Financing in a New Era, where donors announced new commitments to SURGfund. Watch the recording and download the report.

The GSF side-event at WHA77 convened a diverse array of global health leaders, representing UN member states, United Nations bodies, philanthropy, academia, civil society, and industry. The event report is now available.

The Global Surgery Foundation (GSF) officially announced SURGfund at its 76th World Health Assembly side event on 23 May 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Moving Dialogue to Implementation. The Global Surgery Foundation invites you a special World Health Assembly (WHA) side event on 23 May 2023.