Leading voices in global healthcare have spotlighted the escalating attacks on health amid armed conflict around the world at the Osaka Expo, during a panel session hosted by Qatar Foundation’s World Innovation Summit for Health.

Held at the event’s Qatar Pavilion, the panel – titled ‘Protecting Health in Armed Conflict’- brought together representatives from Médecins Sans Frontières, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNRWA, and the International Committee of the Red Cross, as well as the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) – Qatar Foundation’s (QF) global healthcare initiative.

The panel built on WISH’s ongoing efforts to raise global awareness of attacks on health, following a recent official side event at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva and the release of a joint report on the issue by WISH and WHO. The discussion at the Osaka Expo is part of a broader WISH strategy to foster a coalition of organizations and experts committed to protecting health workers and facilities in conflict zones.

Speaking during the panel, Dr. Slim Slama, CEO of WISH, said: “An attack on healthcare is an attack on the very foundation of humanity. Each strike not only destroys hospitals and endangers health workers, but also robs entire communities of safety, dignity, and hope. Protecting medical care in conflict is a legal and moral obligation – when we fail to act, we allow suffering to multiply and justice to fade.”

Alongside Dr. Slama, panelists included Chika Suefuji, Advocacy Director, Médecins Sans Frontières; Dr. Rick Brennan, former WHO EMRO Regional Emergency Director; Dr. Akihiro Seita, Medical Director, UNRWA, and Hitomi Makabe, Head of Communications, International Committee of the Red Cross. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Sunoor Verma, Director of Partnerships and Outreach, WISH.

Dr. Akihiro Seita, UNRWA Medical Director, emphasized the importance of safeguarding healthcare workers and facilities in conflict zones: “As a Japanese physician working with UNRWA in Gaza, I have witnessed health workers serve amid unimaginable danger. Their courage is a daily reminder that protecting healthcare is not only about medicine – it is about defending dignity, humanity, and hope. From Gaza to Osaka, we are united by a shared responsibility to stand against the erosion of these values.”

Speaking about the purpose of the WISH-led Osaka Expo session, Dr. Slama said: “Today’s panel under the roof of Qatar Pavilion is a critical step in uniting the global health and humanitarian community to advocate for the protection of health in times of war. We call on all stakeholders to join this coalition and uphold international humanitarian law.”