Leading Industry Speakers Lined-Up for 44th IHF World Hospital Congress

By HospiMedica International staff writers

[01 Nov 2021]
Image: 44th IHF World Hospital Congress (Photo courtesy of The International Hospital Federation)

Leaders and decision-makers of hospitals, health services, and healthcare organizations will gather at the 44th World Hospital Congress organized by The International Hospital Federation (Geneva, Switzerland) in Barcelona, Spain on 8-11 November to engage in meaningful discussions and share relevant experiences around healthcare transformations.


The 2021 World Hospital Congress will be one of the first hybrid healthcare management events that will take place in Europe in 2021. With the overarching theme "People on board: Transforming healthcare by blending agility, responsiveness, and resilience", the 44th World Hospital Congress will present over 60 sessions where more than 200 renowned speakers will gather to share their knowledge and good practices on healthcare transformations enacted across the globe. The event will bring together more than 200 healthcare experts, leading industry thinkers, and best practice presenters at over 60 sessions around nursing leadership, humanizing technology, COVID-19 vaccination, the next global pandemic, etc.


Attendees will get the opportunity to listen to Dr. Hans Kluge, Regional Director for Europe at the World Health Organization (WHO) as he gives his keynote address. Dr. Kluge has been leading the Division of Health Systems and Public Health at WHO/Europe for a decade, and his vision for the WHO European Region is “United action for better health”, working in partnership to achieve universal health coverage, address health emergencies, and promote healthier populations.


Additionally, global healthcare leaders will speak at several plenary sessions across the four-day event. Dr. Bechara Choucair, White House COVID-19 Vaccinations Coordinator, Dr. Josep Campistol, CEO of Hospital Clínic Barcelona, and Bertrand Levrat, CEO of Geneva University Hospital (HUG), and Wright Lassiter, President and CEO of Henry Ford Health System; Chair-Elect of the American Hospital Association, US, will speak at the plenary session, “Getting ready for the next global pandemic: European and North American perspectives.” Dr. Liisa Maria Voipio Pulkki, Director General and Chief Medical Officer of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland, will speak at the plenary session, “Harnessing innovations to build back better: European lessons from the pandemic.”


Dr. Wahid Majrooh, former Minister of Public Health of Afghanistan, will participate in “Resilience and Impartiality; The Afghanistan Hospital Sector during the Era of COVID-19: A Fireside Conversation with the Former Minister of Public Health.” Lord Nigel Crisp, former CEO at NHS in England and Former Permanent Secretary of the United Kingdom Department of Health, will speak at the plenary session, “Nursing leadership in transforming healthcare during a world-wide pandemic: Examples from the field.”


Dr. Anne Snowdon, Chief Scientific Research Officer of HIMSS and Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson of Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd., India, will speak at the plenary session, “Humanizing technology for smart healthcare delivery: The COVID-19 impact.” Thomas Cueni, Director General of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations, will participate in the parallel session, “An inside look at the pharmaceutical industry’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and how it is preparing to face the antimicrobial resistance challenge and future pandemics.”


Related Links:
The International Hospital Federation