Do we care? - Be-cause health international conference 2026 on failing care in times of polycrisis

Heidy Rombouts is a lawyer and a social scientist with over 20 years of experience in the field of international cooperation and human rights. She has worked closely with national and international governments and institutions, but also with local actors and civil society in different countries.

She started her career as academic researcher and policy advisor at the Institute of Development Policy and Management (University of Antwerp) with a focus on working in fragile situations and conducted intensive field work in Rwanda. Thereafter, she took up various roles as expert and team leader in the Belgian and German Development Agencies (BTC now Enabel, and GIZ) at headquarters – with multiple assignments in Central Africa - and in Mali and Kenya.

As project coordinator for a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and board official at the World Bank Group she gained a solid understanding of the multilateral working environments. Before taking up her mandate of the Belgian Director General for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation in October 2021, she was the managing director for Plan International Belgium.

She holds a PhD in social and political sciences from the University of Antwerp, and a master's degree in law and a master's degree in sociology from the KU Leuven. She published internationally and did consultancy in the field of international relations and human rights.

Dr Özge Tunçalp is a distinguished physician and epidemiologist and currently serving as the Executive Director of ITM since 1 January 2025. Prior to her role at ITM, she was a medical officer in the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research, including the research programme of the UN agencies and the World Bank (HRP), at the World Health Organization (WHO). She spearheaded large-scale implementation and innovation research, and developed evidence-based guidelines and knowledge translation tools for country impact, focusing on antenatal care and quality of care. In collaboration with country, regional, and global partners, she employed quantitative and qualitative methodologies, along with innovative approaches, to improve the quality of maternal and perinatal healthcare, including safe abortion services in low- and middle-income countries.

Erick Mukala is an associate professor of public health and public mental health at the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Médicales (ISTM) in Kananga, DR Congo. He is the founder and chair of the Centre Africain de Recherche et d’Appui aux Systèmes de Santé (CARASS) and a senior expert at the Centre de Connaissances en Santé en RD Congo (CCSC). His expertise focuses in particular on the integration of mental health services into primary health care and the health systems strengthening. He has previously held several positions within the DRC’s National Mental Health Programme, including Provincial Mental Health Coordinator, Head of the Training and Supervision Division, and Head of the Monitoring, Evaluation and Research Division. He holds a Master’s degree in the ecology of infectious diseases from the University of Kinshasa, a Master’s degree in public health from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, and a joint PhD in public health from the Université Libre de Bruxelles and the University of Lubumbashi.

Taofeekat Adigun is a systems thinker working at the intersection of international development, philanthropy and global health. Her work spans funding, partnerships and systems change, with a focus on how resources, institutions and policy decisions shape equity and access. She has contributed to health systems strengthening, public health emergency response, gender equity, and digital innovation projects across Africa and Europe. Taofeekat is also the Founder of Femme Circle, a cross-border network expanding global opportunities for young women of colour. She holds a dual Master’s degree in Public Health and International Development from the University of Sheffield, UK.

Armelle Akouavi Vigan, née Guezodje, holds a PhD in Health Socio-Anthropology from the Centre for Research into Human Reproduction and Demography (CERRHUD) in Benin. Her research focuses on the interactions between communities and health systems, with a particular interest in the quality and accessibility of care. She has extensive experience in qualitative and operational research, programme evaluation, and learning from and capitalising on experiences. Her work contributes to knowledge development aimed at fostering health systems and policies that are more equitable and tailored to socio-cultural realities.

Woré Fall is an E-Health expert at Enabel Senegal, where she contributes to the digital health strategy at the crossroads of national policies, interoperability architectures and operational roll-outs on the ground.
A computer science engineer with over 10 years’ experience – ranging from the development of medical software to the strategic governance of information systems, as well as institutional dialogue on digital health policies – she possesses expertise at the intersection of health information systems, telemedicine, interoperability and the improvement of healthcare processes. As part of the Health Intervention under the Senegal-Belgium Cooperation Portfolio, she contributes to initiatives aimed at improving access to and continuity of care in rural areas, as well as enhancing the transparency of the medicines supply chain under the EU-funded MAV+ programme. More broadly, her work focuses on the strategic use of technology to help create more accessible, integrated, resilient and equitable health systems.

Jean-François Busogoro is a Public Health Doctor and an expert in Health Strategy and Leadership, with nearly twenty years’ experience in health systems strengthening, maternal and reproductive health, social protection in health, and health financing. He has held technical and managerial roles at Enabel, the WHO and international programmes in the DRC and Burundi, combining support for public policy, project management and support for health systems.
As an author and co-author of scientific and knowledge-sharing publications, he is particularly interested in the transformation of health systems, the use of evidence to inform decision-making, and the development of sustainable solutions tailored to African contexts.

Dr. Nimer Ortuño-Gutiérrez is a public health expert and scientist with over 20 years of experience in primary health care and the control of tuberculosis, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and other Neglected Tropical Diseases. He holds a Master of Public Health from the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, and a PhD in Disease Control and Geospatial Methods. He has served in Burundi and Guinea as a medical advisor to national disease control programmes and as Damien Foundation representative. From 2015 to 2025, he was Medical Advisor and Research Coordinator at Damien Foundation headquarters in Brussels. Since 2025, he has been working in Niger as a Public Health Expert with Enabel, supporting health system strengthening through the PASS-Sutura project.

Aloys Zongo is a doctor specialising in public health and a health economist. He is the Project Manager for Health and Social Protection (SPSS) and the fight against sexual violence and impunity (LVSI), based in Kisangani (DRC). Dr Zongo has gained experience in strengthening health systems and health financing in several countries, including Burkina Faso, Niger, Guinea and the DRC.

Nihad Jessica Eyitayo Agoligan Tometin is a Research Assistant at the Centre de Recherche en Reproduction Humaine et en Démographie (CERRHUD) in Benin, where she has worked since 2023 on health financing, gender mainstreaming, and access to care. Trained as an economist, she specializes in quantitative, qualitative, and realist evaluation methodologies applied to health systems research. She has pursued further training in health policy and governance, at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, where she is currently pursuing a Master in Public Health.

Kashi Carasso is a Public Health expert with a pharmacy background and 25 years of experience strengthening pharmaceutical systems and improving access to quality medicines in fragile and conflict-affected settings. She has worked with NGOs and UN agencies, teaches in academia, and is an active member of QUAMED. For the past ten years she has been a partner at hera (www.hera.eu), where she currently serves as Chair of the Board. She recently conducted pharmaceutical market analyses in Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Chad, examining the tension between private sector interests and public health priorities. In a different capacity, Kashi works as a trauma therapist with refugees and undocumented migrants in the Netherlands.

Samuel Bosongo Itigaino is a Medical Doctor from the University of Kisangani (2008), holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (Health Systems Policy and Management) from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp (2017), a Master’s degree in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from the Kalu Institute (2020) and a PhD in Public Health Sciences from the Université Libre de Bruxelles (2025). He has 17 years’ experience within the health system of the DRC, having worked as a clinician, chief medical officer in health zones, and a technical officer with international NGOs. He is currently pursuing a career as a lecturer and researcher at the University of Kisangani and as a senior public health expert at the Health Knowledge Centre in the DRC. His work focuses primarily on governance and the strengthening of health systems, universal health coverage, the evaluation of health policies and programmes, and the relationships between service providers, communities and social protection organisations in the health sector.

Romeo Matsas is Head of International Cooperation & European Affairs at Alliance Nationale des Mutualités Chrétiennes, the biggest mutual health organization in Belgium. He has worked for more than 25 years on development and international cooperation, for governments, international organisations and NGOs, on health, education and migration.

Jean Van Wetter is Chief Executive Officer of Enabel, the Belgian agency for international cooperation. He leads a portfolio of over 200 projects across 21 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, supported by a team of 2,500 professionals, delivering impactful solutions in climate change, economic development, and peace and security. With more than 20 years of experience in international cooperation, diplomacy, and organizational leadership, he is known for aligning strategic vision with concrete results, building crosssector partnerships, and driving innovation at scale. He previously served as Director General of Handicap International, worked as a strategy consultant at Arthur Andersen, and has lived and worked for over 15 years across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

As a recognized voice in global development, he is a frequent speaker at leading think tanks and international platforms, including the Egmont Institute, Chatham House, the Royal Institute for Defence Studies, the Africa-Europe Foundation, Friends of Europe, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum. He has twice co-chaired the Practitioners’ Network for European Development Cooperation and serves on the Board of the Egmont Royal Institute for International Relations.

Julie Meunier completed a Master’s degree at the Strasbourg Institute of Political Studies in partnership with the University of Medicine, entitled “Health and the Political Environment”. She was then recruited by CIRAD to work on the PREZODE initiative, which is an international initiative centered on the “One Health” approach. She is currently a PhD student at CIRAD (ASTRE unit) and at IRD (CEPED). Her thesis focuses on the ‘One Health’ approach and its inter-scale relationships, with a particular focus on its implementation in Senegal and the science-policy dialogue.

Anteneh Asefa is a Health Systems researcher specialising mainly in maternal, sexual, reproductive, and child health. He holds a PhD in Global Health from the University of Melbourne, where his research explored health system barriers to respectful maternity care and potential strategies to address them. He is currently leading projects to design and test (digital) health innovations to integrate respectful maternity care and perinatal mental health into maternal health and PMTCT services. In recognition of his contributions to global health, Anteneh has been selected as a fellow of several distinguished programmes, including the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the Emerging Voices for Global Health, the Maternal Health Young Champions, the Policy Communication Fellows, and New Voices in Global Health.

Doofan Udendeh is a researcher with the NIHR-funded GEMMS Global Health Research Group at the Centre for Global Health and Intersectional Equity Research, University of Essex. Part of her work with GEMMS explores how insecure work and housing, limited social protection and gender inequalities affect experiences of violence and poor mental health among internal migrants in Cambodia. Through the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded INNOVATE: Mobilising Community Assets to Tackle Health Inequalities project, she examines how social and structural inequalities accumulate across people’s lives to shape mental distress, access to support and experiences of navigating systems of care in Essex; she also contributes to CoastGEM research on inequalities across stroke care pathways. Before joining the University of Essex, she worked with the Planned Parenthood Federation of Nigeria to support more equitable access to sexual and reproductive health information and services. Across her work, she is interested in intersectional health equity and in ensuring that lived experience helps shape research, policy and practice.  

Marieke Janssen is the Executive Director of CCVS Uganda. CCVS combines psychological counselling for individuals, families and groups with efforts to strengthen local support, reduce stigma and improve referral pathways. They are bringing accessible, high-quality mental health care close to where people live. In the past five years, CCVS has supported more than 3,000 children, youth and adults with professional mental health care, reached over 20,000 people through community outreach and sensitisation, and trained more than 500 stakeholders in Trauma Informed Care, Psychological First Aid, and Lay Counselling. Marieke has over 20 years of experience in social development and humanitarian work across East Africa, including previous roles with War Child Holland and Youth Challenge International, and holds an MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Esther Tumbare MBChB, Dip Psych, MPH is a Public Health physician and Chief Executive Officer of Friendship Bench Zimbabwe, a pioneering organization transforming access to mental health care through evidence-based, community-led solutions. She brings extensive experience in public health leadership and health systems strengthening across Africa, with a deep passion for improving health and mental health outcomes for underserved populations. As a thought leader in community-based mental health, she is committed to bridging evidence, policy and practice to advance equitable and sustainable mental health systems. She is a strong advocate for African-led innovation and for ensuring that solutions developed within communities are recognized and amplified on the global stage. At the heart of her work is a belief that everyone, regardless of where they live or their circumstances, should have access to quality mental health support.

Pratishtha Singh is a public health researcher from India with over five years of research experience. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, where her thesis examines gendered violence and safety in mobility among women and gender-diverse people, with a particular focus on India. She also works as a Research Associate at The George Institute for Global Health, where her work focuses on injury prevention. Her research interests lie at the intersection of gender, mobility, health, and structural inequities, with past work covering reproductive health, gender-based violence, and health systems research. She is an Emerging Voices for Global Health (2024) Fellow.

Kensita Annet Sharon is a Social Protection and Financial Inclusion Specialist with over 20 years of experience in rural finance, social protection, and community health financing. She holds a Master's Degree in Development Studies, postgraduate diplomas in Microfinance and Project Planning and Management, and a Bachelor's Degree in Education. She has extensive experience in designing and implementing programs that enhance financial inclusion and social protection for vulnerable communities. ​

Josephine Aikpitanyi is a public health economist and interdisciplinary maternal health researcher whose work examines healthcare utilisation, behavioural decision-making, and social inequalities in health in low-resource settings. Her research integrates health economics, behavioural science, and qualitative methods to understand the factors that shape women’s healthcare choices and experiences. Her current work focuses on maternal healthcare decision-making in sub-Saharan Africa, including the roles of psychological dispositions, spiritual and culturally embedded beliefs, and patient-centred care. She also conducts research in economic evaluation and health policy, with interests in improving the efficiency and equity of healthcare systems. She holds a PhD in Public Health, obtained from the Université catholique de Louvain, Belgium.

Nadja De Groote is a public health expert with over 20 years of experience, including fieldwork with Médecins Sans Frontières and strategic roles with Enabel in Benin. Her work focuses on social protection, patient rights, community engagement, and equitable access to healthcare. She supports locally led initiatives and action research, particularly in non-communicable diseases and care for vulnerable populations.

Lillian Nakisozi Barungi is a Public Health Officer with extensive experience in health systems strengthening, emergency care, and capacity building in Uganda. She supports the planning, implementation, and monitoring of public health programs, with a particular focus on improving emergency preparedness, accessibility to Ambulance services and quality of care at health facilities. Lillian has been actively involved in coordinating healthcare worker trainings, stakeholder engagement, and initiatives aimed at strengthening emergency care services across Uganda. She is passionate about advancing evidence-based public health interventions and improving health outcomes through collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning

Dr Grace Marie V. Ku is a public health expert, a family and community medicine physician-specialist and a health researcher and academician with background and experience in health systems, health policy & health development research & implementation; in strategic and quality management systems; and in bioethics. She is a senior researcher in the Health Policy Unit of the Public Health Department of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp. Dr Ku is also Professor at the Department of Gerontology of the Faculty of Medicine & Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium and at the Department of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, the Philippines.

At ITM, Dr Ku leads the Belgian Directorate for Development and Cooperation-funded capacity strengthening 5-year programme for Cambodia. Concurrently, she is the course leader of the MPH advanced course on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and the Challenges in International Health core course on Health Systems and Policies for UHC.

Dr Ku’s focus is on NCDs. As such, she was lead of the WHO 2025 document “Quality of care for chronic conditions: literature review and Delphi survey on the possible contribution of purchasing arrangements in low- and middle-income countries”. She served as panelist in the World Bank – WHO Webinar “From dialogue to action: insights on financing NCDs and mental health ahead of the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting”; and participated in the 2025 UN High Level Meeting on NCDs as Belgian expert

Dr. Nimer Ortuño-Gutiérrez is a public health expert and researcher with more than 20 years of experience in primary health care and the control of tuberculosis, leprosy, leishmaniasis, and other neglected tropical diseases. He holds a Master of Public Health from the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp and a PhD in Disease Control and Geospatial Methods. He has worked in Burundi and Guinea as a medical advisor to national disease control programmes and as a representative of the Damien Foundation. Between 2015 and 2025, he served as Medical Advisor and Research Coordinator at the Damien Foundation headquarters in Brussels. Since 2025, he has been working in Niger as a Public Health Expert with Enabel, supporting health system strengthening through the PASS-Sutura project.

Maxime Prévot began his professional journey as a public sector consultant for PwC and IBM, contributing to policy evaluations for both the European Commission and Belgian governments. He entered politics in 2004 and quickly rose within the centrist party cdH (now Les Engagés), becoming its Political Director at just 26.

Over the years, Prévot has held elected office at every level of government – local, regional, and federal – including serving as Mayor of Namur and Deputy President of the Walloon Government. In 2019, he assumed leadership of cdH and spearheaded its transformation into Les Engagés, a modern, civic-oriented political movement.

Under his leadership, the party staged a remarkable comeback in the 2024 elections, significantly increasing its parliamentary representation and joining both the Walloon and Wallonia-Brussels Federation governments. This resurgence positioned Prévot as one of Belgium’s most influential and widely recognized political figures.

Following the elections, King Philippe appointed him Royal Mediator to facilitate federal coalition negotiations. In February 2025, Prévot was named Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs, and International Cooperation.