*GHL 03 – Building Trust: The Key to Global Health

The COVID-19 Pandemic exposed the fragility of health systems and the limitations of multilateral institutions during crises. In the four years since, rising global turbulence has further highlighted what has been described as a “global trust deficit.” This is clearly evidenced in the inability of World Health Organization (WHO) member states to reach a consensus on the pandemic agreement – now in its third year of negotiations.

The need to urgently prioritize health at multilateral fora and invest in building robust health systems is well established. Evidence has been clear for some time: equitable health outcomes are foundational to bridging socio-economic inequalities and building resilience to climate change. However, the chasm between evidence and action across societies and sectors appears to be widening due to the fragmentation of the agenda, competing priorities, and the trust gap in government and its institutions both within and between countries.

This session explores the pathways to bridging the trust gap and mobilizing a whole-of-society approach to building resilient health systems that currently remain underfunded and understaffed.