Dr Zubaida Rahman Attends World Health Summit in Berlin

Dr Zubaida Rahman, a physician and wife of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is attending the three-day World Health Summit 2026 in Berlin, the capital of Germany. Her participation in the summit, which focuses on global health system challenges, public health reforms and healthcare innovation, is significant for Bangladesh’s representation at the international event.

Meanwhile, Professor Muhammad Yunus, former chief adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, will not attend the summit despite being scheduled to speak. Organisers cited health reasons for his absence. The summit began on Sunday and will continue until Tuesday. This year’s theme is “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health”. Policymakers, scientists, medical experts, business leaders, civil society representatives and officials from international organisations are attending the event.

Discussions are focusing on how to address existing weaknesses in global health systems, prepare for future challenges and improve healthcare through new technologies and innovation. According to the summit’s website, Dr Zubaida Rahman is a physician and vice-president of the Ziaur Rahman Foundation. Her work also focuses on public health reform, ensuring healthcare for all and expanding access to primary healthcare across Bangladesh. Her professional background and experience in public health have added significance to her participation.

The World Health Summit aims to find solutions to global health challenges through dialogue among the scientific community, political leaders, economic stakeholders and civil society. It is organised in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO), international organisations, government institutions and private-sector and civil society groups. The summit provides a platform to discuss healthcare equity, stronger health systems and effective responses to emergencies.

Organisers had announced that the two Bangladeshi guests would speak at separate sessions on Sunday and Monday. Professor Yunus was scheduled to speak about Grameen Healthtech Limited. However, Anna Stormer, the summit’s director of communications and press, said he would not attend for health reasons. Sources familiar with the matter said Berlin police had also informed protest organiser Mizanur Haque Khan about Mr. Yunus’s absence on Saturday.

Before the summit, five international organisations in Europe had sent memorandums and a petition concerning Mr. Yunus’s participation. The appeal, submitted three weeks earlier, expressed concern over the measles situation in Bangladesh and called on the organisers to reconsider his invitation as a special speaker. The organisations were the South Asia Democratic Forum, European Bangladesh Forum, Working Group Bangladesh in Germany, Earth Civilization Network and Freedom and Justice Alliance.

The petition cited a WHO report dated April 23. According to the report, Bangladesh recorded 19,161 suspected measles cases and 2,973 laboratory-confirmed infections between March 15 and April 14. During the same period, 166 suspected measles-related deaths and 30 confirmed deaths were reported. Children under five accounted for 79 per cent of those affected.

Considering the ongoing outbreak, the number of unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated children and gaps in population immunity, the WHO assessed the national risk level in Bangladesh as “high”. The organisations behind the petition called for an independent review of concerns surrounding routine immunisation, vaccine availability and supply, procurement and management, and emergency vaccination programmes. They also argued that Mr. Yunus’s administrative responsibilities as the former head of the interim government should be considered in the discussion.

Alongside the measles outbreak, the petition highlighted the need to examine public health system capacity, emergency preparedness, administrative transparency and accountability. The organisations urged the summit organisers to reconsider Mr. Yunus’s invitation. If the invitation remained in place, they called for him to address Bangladesh’s measles situation and for the discussion to include family members of affected children, paediatricians, immunisation specialists and independent public health experts.

The German Awami League and expatriate Bangladeshis in Germany had also planned a protest outside the summit venue. Reports said police permission had been obtained for a demonstration involving 400 protesters.

The World Health Summit was launched in 2009 to mark the 300th anniversary of Charité University Hospital in Berlin. The first summit was held from October 14 to 19 that year under the theme “The Evolution of Medicine”. Since then, the annual event has become an important platform for international health policy, research, innovation and the exchange of experiences among countries. Dr Zubaida Rahman’s participation in this year’s summit offers an opportunity to bring Bangladesh’s public health and healthcare issues into international discussions.