Global Neurosurgical Advocacy at the 78th World Health Assembly: Critical Collaboration at a Time of Geopolitical Change

Authors

• Riya M. Dange, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
• Daniela A. Perez-Chadid, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Roxanna García, Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Peter J. Hutchinson, NIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
• Kee B. Park, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Saniya Mediratta, NIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
• Sara Venturini, NIHR Global Health Research Group on Acquired Brain and Spine Injury, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
• Franco Servadei, Global Neurosurgery Programme, Besta Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
• Kerry A. Vaughan, Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
• Ernest J. Barthélemy, Division of Neurosurgery, One Brooklyn Health-Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York, USA.
• Kemel A. Ghotme, Translational Neurosciences and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Sabana, Chía, Colombia.
• Tariq Khan, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Almas F. Khattak, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Richard Moser, Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
• Michael M. Haglund, Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
• Cassandra Mbanje, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Noor Alesawy, The Global Surgery Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
• Ramya Reddy, Global Neurosurgery Initiative, Program in Global Surgery and Social Change, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
• Walter Johnson, Center for Global Surgery, Loma Linda University, California, USA.
• Alfredo Borrero, Latin American Health Corporation, Quito, Ecuador.
• Jeffrey P. Blount, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
• Anastasia Arynchyna-Smith, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
• Martina Gonzalez-Gomez, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
• William Hereford, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
• Andrew T. Hale, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's of Alabama, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
• Alexandra Jarram, InterSurgeon.org, Pengrove Trelill, Bodmin, Cornwall, UK.
• Geoffrey Ibbotson, The Global Surgery Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
• Christopher M. Dodgion, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Eylem Öcal, Department of Neurosurgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA.
• Natalie Sheneman, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Neil R. Wetzig, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Gail L. Rosseau, The Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia Care (G4 Alliance), Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

4-9-2026

Journal

Neurosurgery

DOI

10.1227/neu.0000000000004032

Keywords

Global health; Neurosurgery; Policymaking; Prevention; Science diplomacy; United Nations; World Health Organization

Abstract

This article is part of an ongoing initiative to provide peer-reviewed updates to neurosurgeons on pertinent activities and initiatives at the annual World Health Assembly (WHA). The 78th WHA, which convened in Geneva, Switzerland, from May 19 to 27, 2025, presented a crucial platform for global neurosurgical advocacy after the recent withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization. Neurosurgical care was featured throughout the advocacy agenda, with neurosurgical delegates from nine countries driving collaborative discussions and educational events throughout the week. We reviewed and synthesized the WHA resolutions and side events most relevant to global neurosurgical care. Key neurosurgical advances during WHA78 included: (1) the call to action to recognize traumatic brain injury as a chronic and notifiable condition, (2) the first biennial update on folic acid fortification implementation working toward next year's progress report, and (3) the expansion of sustainable catalytic financing systems for surgical care.

APA Citation

Dange, Riya M.; Perez-Chadid, Daniela A.; García, Roxanna; Hutchinson, Peter J.; Park, Kee B.; Mediratta, Saniya; Venturini, Sara; Servadei, Franco; Vaughan, Kerry A.; Barthélemy, Ernest J.; Ghotme, Kemel A.; Khan, Tariq; Khattak, Almas F.; Moser, Richard; Haglund, Michael M.; Mbanje, Cassandra; Alesawy, Noor; Reddy, Ramya; Johnson, Walter; Borrero, Alfredo; Blount, Jeffrey P.; Arynchyna-Smith, Anastasia; Gonzalez-Gomez, Martina; Hereford, William; Hale, Andrew T.; Jarram, Alexandra; Ibbotson, Geoffrey; Dodgion, Christopher M.; Öcal, Eylem; Sheneman, Natalie; Wetzig, Neil R.; and Rosseau, Gail L., "Global Neurosurgical Advocacy at the 78th World Health Assembly: Critical Collaboration at a Time of Geopolitical Change" (2026). GW Authored Works. Paper 9090.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/9090

Department

Neurological Surgery