The Future of Global Health: Navigating a Post-ODA World
With the collapse of USAID funding and deep cuts from other traditional donors, more than half of global health funding has disappeared, leaving millions without essential healthcare services. As programs halt and health systems in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) struggle to cope, we must urgently rethink how global health is financed and delivered. What does sustainable, community-led healthcare look like in this new reality? How can grassroots movements, equitable philanthropy, and system reform fill the gap? What happens to HIV/AIDS prevention post-PEPFAR, and how can telehealth and technology-driven solutions help scale equitable access to care?
This session will explore strategies for rebuilding global health financing, shifting power to locally-led health systems, and helping communities advocate for their right to healthcare. Participants will examine collaborative funding models, accountability mechanisms, and policy shifts needed to sustain progress in a drastically altered funding landscape.
Key Questions:
What are the immediate and long-term implications of the collapse of USAID funding on global health systems?
How can community-led investments and grassroots organizing drive healthcare access in LMICs?
What alternative funding models, including equitable philanthropy and collaborative financing, can replace traditional development assistance?
How can telehealth and digital health solutions be leveraged to scale equitable healthcare access?
What does post-PEPFAR HIV/AIDS prevention look like, and how do we sustain critical health interventions without traditional donor funding?
This session will provide a space for urgent dialogue on how to reimagine the future of global health, ensuring that healthcare remains a fundamental right, even in a post-ODA world.
Session Co-Leaders:
Daphne de Souza Lima Sorensen is CEO of MiracleFeet, leading global efforts to end disability caused by untreated clubfoot through strategic leadership grounded in social justice.
Frank Beadle de Palomo is President & CEO of mothers2mothers, with 30+ years of experience in global health and community-based care initiatives.
J. Ken Wickiser is Administrative Director at GAPP, focused on infectious disease diagnostics and building technical workforce capacity for global health security.
Kevin Gibbons is Executive Director of Health Access Connect, linking remote communities in Uganda to healthcare since 2014.
Nadia Kist is Director of Africa Partnerships at Blood:Water, advancing equitable philanthropy and sustainable, community-led health solutions.
Peta Barrett leads foundation partnerships at mothers2mothers, connecting donors to proven, women-led health solutions across sub-Saharan Africa.
Ella McIntosh is Chief of Staff at the Effective Institutions Project, supporting strategy and funder coordination to improve decision-making across global institutions.