79th World Health Assembly | GSF Special Side-Event

What’s Next
for Philanthropy

Investing in Local Leaders for Impact

Monday, 18 May 2026 | 6:00 pm
Ballroom A, Hôtel InterContinental
Geneva, Switzerland & virtual

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79th World Health Assembly | GSF Special Side-Event

What’s Next
for Philanthropy

Investing in Local Leaders for Impact

Monday, 18 May 2026 | 6:00 pm
Ballroom A, Hôtel InterContinental
Geneva, Switzerland & virtual

Join Livestream (from 6pm CEST)

Event Recap

On 18 May 2026, a packed room gathered at the Hôtel InterContinental Geneva for What's Next for Philanthropy: Investing in Local Leaders for Impact.

Mary Mungai, Nurse Anaesthetist at AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya, opened the evening with a powerful reminder of why this work matters — and what is at stake when surgical systems fail.

Three sessions followed. Session 1 explored the catalytic pivot in philanthropy. Session 2 brought evidence from the frontlines. Session 3 charted the road to scale.

Four new financial commitments to SURGfund were announced live from the stage:

Johnson & Johnson Foundation renewed its $1 million contribution
The GE HealthCare Foundation joined the coalition for the first time
A private philanthropic organisation committed $1.1 million
The Mangino Family Fund committed $250,000

A growing coalition. A model that works. A clear path forward.

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Impressions

Event Overview

The task now is to build

As the dust settles on the seismic shifts of 2025, a transformed global health landscape is coming into view. The era of fragmented, traditional aid is over.

The only viable path forward is efficiency, resilience, and strong local ownership.

So, what’s next for philanthropy? It is evolving from a passive funder into a decisive, catalytic force. We are witnessing the rise of a new paradigm where philanthropic capital is deployed specifically to back local leaders and secure the surgical backbone of entire health systems.

In 2026, we have moved past the theoretical. While old models falter, a new alliance is driving down mortality and securing national sustainability. Discover how early adopters are bridging the gap to national scale. The blueprint is proven, the foundation is poured: and we have started to build.

What Happened

Building on a record-breaking legacy, this special GSF World Health Assembly (WHA) side-event convened global leaders to:

Navigate the Funding Shift

We discovered how philanthropy is transforming into a decisive backer. And we learned the strategic shifts required to attract and unlock this new wave of investment.

Unpack the Hard Evidence

Move past the theory. We heard directly from frontline leaders who are already translating catalytic funding into measurable, life-saving impact on the ground today.

Join the Pioneers

We were in the room when new funding commitments were announced. During our networking reception, participants connected with the pioneers actively bringing the proven financing standard to scale.

Featured Voices

Moderator:

Ms. Femi Oke, International Journalist and Co-Founder Moderate the Panel (pictured)

Featuring:

World-leading experts in surgical care and financing, frontline workers with current hands-on experience, SURGfund and SURGhub partners, and high-level government officials.

The Turning Point

A Look Back at WHA78

Last year, a growing coalition of pioneers officially stepped forward with a historic wave of commitments to SURGfund. 2025 marked the official turning point where surgical investment moved from an afterthought to a core strategy.

WHA78 poured the foundation. Now, we build.