Health & Humanity Summit: Overview

17 August 2023, New Delhi

MSF South Asia’s inaugural Health and Humanity Summit brought together leaders, practitioners, and academics to foster discussions, incite collaboration and seek out solutions to complex humanitarian and public health issues in an ever-changing world. Over 300 attendees were present, weaving through panel discussions and accompanying art exhibits, with dynamic exchanges and collaborations taking place in between.

Upon opening the ceremony, MSF South Asia Director of Communications, Sana Bég, highlighted the need to translate every discussion and innovation stemming from this summit to the communities at the heart of the issues. In her opening remarks, Dr Farhat Mantoo, MSF South Asia Executive Director, brought this point home by telling the story of one of the first patients to receive anti-retroviral drugs in an MSF project – his access to medicine, he said, ensured that he was still here today. He now works as an MSF Peer Counselor in Malawi.

The Keynote speaker for this event was renowned journalist P. Sainath. In his speech, he highlighted stories from the COVID-19 pandemic, which provided a “brilliant, but scathing autopsy of our society” bringing into sharp relief the impact of social determinants of health on people. Health, he said, should be seen as mental and social well-being which requires action in many different sectors, including on a social and economic level. He ended with a call to the audience: “maybe you can do something about it.”

The first panel session, moderated by journalist Vidya Krishnan, brought together a panel of experts to explore the theme of migration and People Forced from Home. The panel sought to re-think the so-called “refugee crisis”, speaking to the urgency of re-humanizing people on the move, creating pathways for legal protection, resettlement, and more comprehensive mobility laws. As emergencies unfold into protracted crises, we experience an “unwanted familiarity of displacement”, one which beckons new people-centered solutions.

In the second panel, access to healthcare was on the agenda, with MSF Access Campaign lead Leena Menghaney leading the discussion. The panelists dissected how COVID shaped justice and access to treatments, as privatization of healthcare and vaccine hoarding failed to protect people around the world, and the need for transformative change in healthcare. Panelists spoke on new pandemic treaties and the need to share technology and resources, strengthen infrastructure, public health systems, and distill collective learning from the pandemic, asking the question: can we meaningfully learn from COVID-19 and expand the way we respond to future crises?

Discussions then moved to the theme of security threats in the humanitarian space, moderated by MSF’s Dr Maria Guevara. Panelists reflected on various threats impacting health and human rights, such as the securitization of health, restrictions on movement, violence on aid workers, new epidemics and outbreaks, and “slow burn problems” such as climate change. They addressed the relationship between human health, human rights and planetary health and the need for collaboration: “we need to do something together, and we need to do it right.”

The final panel brought the issue of mis/disinformation to center stage, moderated by MSF’s Disinformation Advisor, Divya Pushkarna. The panel delved into the threat of mis/disinformation and the psychology of crises which create “perfect storms” for mis/disinformation to spread, further reinforcing social cleavages and biases. The emergence of AI was also discussed, both in terms of threats and opportunities: “AI is a tool with no guard rails; human made AI and we are fallible, therefore AI is fallible.”

Beyond these discussions, highlights of the summit included interactive art exhibits that echoed the issues discussed. MSF’s Health & Humanity exhibit centered stories of vulnerable people and communities in MSF projects and the causes of these vulnerabilities, as photographer Uğur Gallenkuş’s ‘Side by Side’ exhibit, in collaboration with MSF, highlighted stark contrasts in people’s lived experiences.

In the closing losing remarks, delivered by retired Indian diplomat Vijay Nambiar, the room was asked to turn to the future and seek solutions that aim to reduce risk and vulnerability, “working in harmony toward collective outcomes”. This focus on solutions and looking to the future was also reflected in a direct action, as MSF South Asia announced the launch of the “Humanitarianism in South Asia Initiative”, a network of universities and research centers aiming to co-create an interdisciplinary course on humanitarian studies in the region.

As the summit came to an end, the discussions were only beginning. The event fostered an environment where a wide array of leaders, experts, academics, and other actors from South Asia and beyond came together and aims to be a catalyst for change and opportunities to seek innovative solutions to both existing and new crises and challenges.

Speakers in order of appearance:

Panelists: Roshni Shanker (Migration and Asylum Project), Rezaul Karim (BRAC), Jolene Anthony Dass (MSF), Dr Parivelan K.M. (TISS), K.M. Gopakumar (Third World Network), Dr Brinelle D’Souza (TISS), Giten Khwairakpam (TREAT), Elizabeth Willets (Harvard), Benjamen Mason Meier, (University of North Carolina), Nishant Sirohi (Geneva Health Files), Tina Purnat (WHO), Osama Manzar (Digital Empowerment Foundation) Shalini Joshi (Khabar Lahariya)

Keynote speakers and moderators: Dr Farhat Mantoo (MSF South Asia Executive Director), P. Sainath (author, veteran journalist), Vidya Krishnan (journalist), Leena Menghaney (MSF Access Campaign), Dr Maria Guevara (MSF International Medical Secretary), Divya Pushkkarna (MSF Disinformation Advisor), Ambassador Vijay Nambiar (retired Indian diplomat)

Media Coverage

Past is Prologue:

Building Community Resilience to Combat Mis/Disinformation in Emergencies

Mis/disinformation can quickly spread during emergencies, exacerbating the situation and hindering response efforts. However, communities with a history of building resilience are better equipped to deal with these challenges.

Investing in education and communication efforts that promote understanding the risks and consequences of mis/disinformation is essential. This includes promoting media literacy and critical thinking skills and providing clear and accurate information about emergencies.

Technology offers powerful tools to combat the spread of false narratives, such as leveraging artificial intelligence algorithms to detect and flag misleading content. Collaborative online platforms enable rapid information sharing among communities, strengthening their ability to verify and disseminate accurate information.

By fostering community resilience through these innovative technological solutions, communities can unite, adapt, and combat the challenges posed by misinformation in times of crisis.

The Health and Humanity Summit aims to ignite change and enable action in addressing these issues, including healthcare affordability and accessibility for marginalized communities.

Bracing for Impact:

Health and Humanitarian Responses in the Context of “security threats”

Security threats in the context of health and humanitarian responses encompass a range of challenges, including armed conflicts, criminal activities, access restrictions, violence against aid workers, and epidemics/pandemics. These threats can disrupt healthcare delivery, hinder access to affected populations, compromise the safety of personnel, and create an environment of fear and instability. In the absence of peace and peacebuilding efforts, there is lack of trust and understanding between communities. Vulnerable populations, including ethnic minorities, women, children, and migrants, are particularly affected by threat-induced illnesses and deaths.

Two threats to global health security are key to building better responses: slow-burn problems, which may be underestimated and receive insufficient attention until irreversible damage occurs, and emerging technologies with dual-use potential as both beneficial tools and weapons.

To effectively address these threats, a broader definition of global health security is vital, encompassing the interconnections between human, animal, and environmental health. By recognizing and addressing these complex interlinkages, public health efforts can proactively mitigate risks and protect vulnerable populations from a wide range of health threats.

How COVID has shaped Justice and Equity for Access to Treatment:

Access to affordable medicines is a critical component to ensure equitable and inclusive healthcare, especially for pluralist and diverse societies of South Asia. When we are vulnerable, making ‘each of us’ part of inclusive growth depends on making ‘all of us’ part of it. However, serious accessibility and affordability challenges to medicines continue to limit stocks and keep pushing the costs up. It is essential to prioritize the well-being of people over profit-driven motives to address these challenges.

India, the ‘pharmacy of the world,’ plays a crucial role in shaping our near future. With its robust generic drug manufacturing industry, it has been instrumental in providing low-cost medicines to millions, especially for diseases like HIV/AIDS. India’s contribution in breaking down patent barriers and producing generic versions of essential antiretroviral drugs has effectively reduced costs and expanded access to life-saving treatments, particularly in low and middle-income countries in South Asia.

Sustaining this momentum requires a consistent focus on research and development to develop new and affordable healthcare solutions. Maintaining strong partnerships with global health organizations, governments, and NGOs is essential to facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaborative efforts. With the right intent and action, developing a robust healthcare infrastructure, especially in underserved areas, will ensure equitable access to quality healthcare services.

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