HB
Keynote
Dr Hanan Balkhy
Regional Director
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
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×
WHA79 · Geneva Side Event
Recognizing TBI as a Notifiable & Chronic Condition
A high-level ministerial and expert event catalysing Member State and WHO collaboration toward a WHA Resolution on TBI Notifiability.
Sunday, 17 May 2026 · 16:00 – 19:00
Novotel Genève Centre, Geneva
20M+
new cases / yr
6M
deaths / yr
35+
endorsing entities
13
co-sponsoring states
Background
A global epidemic, made invisible
Traumatic Brain Injury causes more than 20 million new cases and 6 million deaths every year. Survivors face lifelong disability and economic hardship — yet TBI remains invisible within global reporting systems.
Recognising TBI as a chronic and notifiable condition is a crucial step to strengthen surveillance, prevention, and rehabilitation, and to align national health information systems with the WHO Brain Health Initiative and Universal Health Coverage.
Building on growing momentum — including 35+ global organizational endorsements — the G4 Alliance and Global TBI Coalition convene this WHA79 side event to catalyse Member State and WHO collaboration toward a WHA Resolution on TBI Notifiability.
Event Objectives
- →Secure political and technical commitment from Member States and WHO Regional Offices.
- →Present models for TBI surveillance and integration into national registries and WHO platforms.
- →Showcase inter-regional collaboration (WPRO, AFRO, EMRO, SEARO) and multi-agency partnerships.
- →Launch a joint Geneva Call to Action on TBI Notifiability — leading toward WHA80.
Agenda
Event Program
- 116:00 – 16:20 CET
Opening
Almas Khattak · Saniya Mediratta · Sara Venturini
Welcome Address — Government of Pakistan
7 min · MoH PakistanPakistan's commitment to advancing the global policy agenda on TBI, supporting international collaboration, and reinforcing the importance of recognition, reporting, and long-term systems response.
PWLE Advocate — Paul Dubetz
5 minLived experience as evidence: personal and family impact of TBI, and the value of the PWLE Storybook in shaping advocacy and policy.
PWLE Advocate — Mandi Dickey
5 minHumanizing the policy agenda — centering survivor and caregiver voices to demonstrate why TBI must be addressed as a long-term chronic condition.
- 216:20 – 16:35 CET
Panel 1 · The Global TBI Coalition
Moderator: Richard Moser
Why the TBI Resolution?
10 min + 5 min Q&AGlobal burden of TBI and the rationale for recognizing TBI as a Notifiable and Chronic Condition.
Angela Colantonio (UoT, ACRM)Bernice Gulek (UW Medicine)Alexis Joannides (GEO-TBI) - 316:35 – 16:50 CET
Panel 2 · The Global TBI Coalition
Moderator: Maryam Mallick
Why the TBI Resolution? (continued)
10 min + 5 min Q&AContinued discussion on surveillance integration and global collaboration.
Nicoline Schiess (BHU WHO)Gail Rosseau (G4 Alliance)Franco Servadei (WFNS) - 416:50 – 17:00 CET
Keynote Address
Moderator: Almas Khattak
Regional Director EMRO Address
10 minHigh-level WHO EMRO perspective on the burden of traumatic brain injury across the Eastern Mediterranean Region, including fragile, conflict-affected, and resource-limited settings.
Dr Hanan Balkhy, Regional Director, WHO EMRO - 517:00 – 17:30 CET
Panel 3 · Ministerial Panel
Moderators: Peter Hutchinson · Anthony Figaji
National Leadership and Global Commitment on TBI
20 min + 10 min Q&ANational perspectives on addressing TBI and commitments toward recognizing TBI as a Notifiable and Chronic Condition within global health policy frameworks.
MoH GuatemalaItalySouth SudanTürkiye - 617:30 – 18:00 CET
Panel 4 · The Way Forward
Moderators: Kee Park · Tariq Khan
From Recognition to Action
20 min + 10 min Q&AMapping the road from WHA79 momentum to a WHA80 Resolution on TBI Notifiability.
MoH PakistanMoH IndonesiaMoH QatarRegional Director EMRO - 718:00 – 19:00 CET
Networking Reception
Novotel Genève Centre
Food & Drinks Reception
60 minContinue the conversation with global leaders, advocates, clinicians, and health professionals.
Voices Leading the Resolution
Speakers & Moderators
Ministers of health, WHO leaders, neurosurgeons, researchers, and people with lived experience — converging in Geneva to drive the agenda forward.
PD
Advocate
Paul Dubetz
PWLE Advocate
Lived Experience · PWLE Storybook
MD
Advocate
Mandi Dickey
PWLE Advocate
Survivor & Caregiver Voice
AK
Moderator
Almas Khattak
Moderator — Opening & Keynote
Northwest School of Medicine
SM
Moderator
Saniya Mediratta
Moderator — Opening
Global TBI Coalition
SV
Moderator
Sara Venturini
Moderator — Opening
NIHR ABSI Group, Cambridge
RM
Moderator
Richard Moser
Moderator — Panel 1
Global TBI Coalition
AC
Panelist
Angela Colantonio
Panelist
University of Toronto · ACRM
BG
Panelist
Bernice Gulek
Panelist
UW Medicine
AJ
Panelist
Alexis Joannides
Panelist
GEO-TBI · University of Cambridge
MM
Moderator
Maryam Mallick
Moderator — Panel 2
Global TBI Coalition
NS
Panelist
Nicoline Schiess
Panelist
Brain Health Unit, WHO
GR
Panelist
Gail Rosseau
Panelist
G4 Alliance
FS
Panelist
Franco Servadei
Panelist
World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
PH
Moderator
Peter Hutchinson
Moderator — Ministerial Panel
NIHR ABSI · University of Cambridge
AF
Moderator
Anthony Figaji
Moderator — Ministerial Panel
University of Cape Town
GT
Panelist
MoH Guatemala
Ministerial Panelist
Ministerio de Salud Pública 🇬🇹
IT
Panelist
MoH Italy
Ministerial Panelist
Ministero della Salute 🇮🇹
SS
Panelist
MoH South Sudan
Ministerial Panelist
Ministry of Health 🇸🇸
TR
Panelist
MoH Türkiye
Ministerial Panelist
Republic of Türkiye, MoH 🇹🇷
KP
Moderator
Kee Park
Moderator — Way Forward
Harvard Medical School · PGSSC
TK
Moderator
Tariq Khan
Moderator — Way Forward
Northwest School of Medicine
PK
Panelist
MoH Pakistan
Closing Panelist
Ministry of National Health Services 🇵🇰
ID
Panelist
MoH Indonesia
Closing Panelist
Republic of Indonesia 🇮🇩
QA
Panelist
MoH Qatar
Closing Panelist
Ministry of Public Health 🇶🇦
HB
Keynote
Dr Hanan Balkhy
Regional Director
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region
PD
Advocate
Paul Dubetz
PWLE Advocate
Lived Experience · PWLE Storybook
MD
Advocate
Mandi Dickey
PWLE Advocate
Survivor & Caregiver Voice
AK
Moderator
Almas Khattak
Moderator — Opening & Keynote
Northwest School of Medicine
SM
Moderator
Saniya Mediratta
Moderator — Opening
Global TBI Coalition
SV
Moderator
Sara Venturini
Moderator — Opening
NIHR ABSI Group, Cambridge
RM
Moderator
Richard Moser
Moderator — Panel 1
Global TBI Coalition
AC
Panelist
Angela Colantonio
Panelist
University of Toronto · ACRM
BG
Panelist
Bernice Gulek
Panelist
UW Medicine
AJ
Panelist
Alexis Joannides
Panelist
GEO-TBI · University of Cambridge
MM
Moderator
Maryam Mallick
Moderator — Panel 2
Global TBI Coalition
NS
Panelist
Nicoline Schiess
Panelist
Brain Health Unit, WHO
GR
Panelist
Gail Rosseau
Panelist
G4 Alliance
FS
Panelist
Franco Servadei
Panelist
World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies
PH
Moderator
Peter Hutchinson
Moderator — Ministerial Panel
NIHR ABSI · University of Cambridge
AF
Moderator
Anthony Figaji
Moderator — Ministerial Panel
University of Cape Town
GT
Panelist
MoH Guatemala
Ministerial Panelist
Ministerio de Salud Pública 🇬🇹
IT
Panelist
MoH Italy
Ministerial Panelist
Ministero della Salute 🇮🇹
SS
Panelist
MoH South Sudan
Ministerial Panelist
Ministry of Health 🇸🇸
TR
Panelist
MoH Türkiye
Ministerial Panelist
Republic of Türkiye, MoH 🇹🇷
KP
Moderator
Kee Park
Moderator — Way Forward
Harvard Medical School · PGSSC
TK
Moderator
Tariq Khan
Moderator — Way Forward
Northwest School of Medicine
PK
Panelist
MoH Pakistan
Closing Panelist
Ministry of National Health Services 🇵🇰
ID
Panelist
MoH Indonesia
Closing Panelist
Republic of Indonesia 🇮🇩
QA
Panelist
MoH Qatar
Closing Panelist
Ministry of Public Health 🇶🇦
Hover to pause · Full lineup shown
Coalition
35+ Global Endorsing Entities
A growing international coalition advancing recognition, surveillance, rehabilitation, and lifelong care for people living with traumatic brain injury.
Show all endorsers ↓Hide grid ↑
Member State Engagement
Ministries of Health
Co-sponsoring and participating Member States — alongside the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean — driving the WHA Resolution on TBI Notifiability.
- Host
🇵🇰 Pakistan
Ministry of National Health Services
- Co-Sponsor
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Ministry of Health
- Co-Sponsor
🇹🇷 Türkiye
Ministry of Health
- Panelist
🇶🇦 Qatar
Ministry of Public Health
- Panelist
🇬🇹 Guatemala
Ministerio de Salud Pública
- Panelist
🇮🇹 Italy
Ministero della Salute
- Panelist
🇸🇸 South Sudan
Ministry of Health
- Keynote
🌍 Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO)
WHO Regional Office
Venue & Date
Novotel Genève Centre
Join ministers, WHO leaders, clinicians, researchers, and lived-experience advocates in Geneva for an afternoon of dialogue and commitment — followed by a networking reception.
- Date
- Sun, 17 May 2026
- Time
- 16:00 – 19:00
- Format
- Hybrid · EN/FR/AR
- Reception
- 18:00 – 19:00
Be part of the Geneva Call to Action
Limited seats. Hybrid attendance available. Registration takes under a minute.
Register Now