EVENT
GO₂AL Event – WHA Week
The Global Oxygen Alliance (GO₂AL), co-hosted with the Permanent Mission of the United Republic of Tanzania, invites you to a high-level side event during the 79th World Health Assembly.
This event will convene Ministers, Ambassadors, Principals, Donors, and GO₂AL Members to accelerate progress on equitable access to medical oxygen — a critical yet overlooked pillar of universal health coverage.
The session will feature a unique Immersive Virtual Reality Experience, followed by a cocktail reception to facilitate high-level dialogue and partnership building.
In-person participation is by invitation only. A Zoom link will be shared with all registered virtual attendees ahead of the event.
Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance. In-person attendance at the Global Health Campus is by invitation only due to space limitations. Virtual attendance via Zoom is open to all registrants — a link will be sent to your email address before the event. Please register by 12 May 2026.
Register Now →
Registration takes less than 2 minutes
Event Details
Tuesday, 19 May 2026
17:00 – 18:15 CET
Side Meeting
18:15 – 19:30 CET
Cocktail Reception
English
With French interpretation
Hybrid
In-person + live stream
Programme
Agenda
| Time (CET) | Session |
|---|---|
| 16:45 | Registration |
| Welcome & Opening | |
| 17:00 |
Welcome
Hon. Mohamed Mchengerwa, Minister of Health, Tanzania
|
|
Opening Remarks
Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director, Unitaid (GO₂AL Co-Chair)
|
|
| Part 1: Financing Oxygen Systems — From Commitment to Sustainability | |
| 17:15 |
Moderator
Dr. Nicholas Furtado, Senior Medical Advisor, Oxygen and Respiratory Care, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
|
|
Speaker
Dr. Yosuke Kita, Director, Global Health Strategy Division, MOFA Japan
|
|
|
Speaker
Hon. Philip A. Telesford, Minister of Health, Grenada
|
|
|
Speaker
Dr. Rhonda Sealey-Thomas, Assistant Director, PAHO (GO₂AL Co-Chair)
|
|
|
Speaker
H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General, Africa CDC TBC
|
|
|
Speaker
Peter Sands, Executive Director, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria
|
|
| Part 2: Doing More Together — How GO₂AL is Working with Countries | |
| 17:45 |
GO₂AL Overview & Moderation
Robert Matiru, Co-Chair, GO₂AL; Director of Programme Division, Unitaid
|
|
Speaker
Dr. Janet Diaz, Unit Head of Safe and Scalable Care, WHO
|
|
|
Speaker
Jayasree Iyer, CEO, Access to Medicine Foundation
|
|
|
Speaker
Country Minister of Health, GO₂AL collaborating country TBC
|
|
| Closing Remarks | |
| 18:10 |
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO TBC
|
| 🥂 Cocktail Reception & Virtual Reality Experience | |
| 18:15 |
Reception Welcome Remarks
H.E. Dr. Abdallah Saleh Possi, Permanent Representative of Tanzania to the UN
|
| 18:15 |
Cocktail Reception & Virtual Reality Experience
Showcasing oxygen access in country settings
|
* Agenda subject to change.
About
The Global Oxygen Alliance
The Global Oxygen Alliance (GO₂AL) is a coalition of partners committed to ensuring that every patient who needs medical oxygen can access it, regardless of where they live. Oxygen is essential for treating pneumonia, malaria, sepsis, surgical complications, and COVID-19 — yet it remains out of reach for millions of people in low- and middle-income countries.
GO₂AL brings together governments, multilateral organisations, donors, and implementers to coordinate action, mobilise financing, and support countries in building sustainable oxygen ecosystems. During WHA week, GO₂AL convenes high-level stakeholders to share progress, strengthen commitments, and accelerate country impact through partnerships.
For any questions, please contact Deborah Yohendran (deborah.yohendran@unitaid.who.int) and Constance McDonough-Thayer (mcc@who.int)