About 80 participants attended the invitation to the 3rd Global Health Symposium. This year the symposium was jointly organized by the Global Health Initiative at Inselspital, together with the University of Bern, the University Psychiatry Services, the Department of Clinical Research at the University of Bern, the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, and Initiative Afrique.

We are very grateful for funding support from the Office of the Dean of the University of Bern and the Burgergemeinde Bern.

The symposium focused on the role of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in low- and middle-income countries. During the plenary session, speakers addressed topics including: prevention of liver cancer in Senegal; the burden of NCDs among people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa; cervical cancer prevention in Zimbabwe; university partnership development and psychiatry training and research in Ethiopia; and cancer care in Ethiopia.

An abstract-based session featured short, five-minute presentations of NCD-related projects by colleagues affiliated with the hosting institutions.

Bringing together different stakeholders around Global Health at the University of Bern proved a novel and promising concept, highlighting the commitment of Bern's health community to the challenges of Global Health. The current global trend of declining prioritization of Global Health, the dramatic funding cuts to Global Health research, and the weakening of international organizations are deeply concerning developments. The symposium, and the ongoing activities – and hopefully increasing activities - of Bern-based stakeholders, should at least stand as a clear statement: we do not agree with these developments.

The next Global Health Day at Inselspital / University of Bern is planned on 06. April 2027 at sitem-insel, Felix Frey Auditorium at 4 pm.