Maria Sotiriou

European Space Agency (@esa) astronaut Sophie Adenot spoke live from the International Space Station on 7 April at the #OneHealth Summit: a remarkable moment that underscored global commitment for a healthier planet. She highlighted how space research is advancing medicine and health for everyone back on Earth. In an era where health challenges are interconnected, her message from orbit on the #Epsilon mission is clear: a healthier future depends on collaboration that transcends borders, disciplines, and even the planet itself.

Thank you @wesstreeting, UK Secretary of State for @DHSCgovuk, for the productive discussion on advancing UK–WHO collaboration to make the world healthier and safer. I updated Secretary Streeting on @WHO’s ongoing work to right-size the Organization so it can effectively deliver on its core roles in norms and standard-setting, convening, and emergency surveillance. I also praised the UK government’s commitment to universal health coverage and the reform of @NHSEngland, with its focus on strengthening health services in community settings, embracing digital technology, and empowering patient choice.

Thank you @jarottingen, CEO of @wellcometrust, for yesterday’s productive discussions in London on the strong collaboration between @WHO and Wellcome to advance key public health priorities, including climate and health, mental health, and infectious disease prevention and control. We also discussed @WHO Member State-led efforts to shape a more effective global health ecosystem, aligned with the UN80 reforms, and focused on protecting and promoting health in countries. We agreed this can be done by reducing duplication, leveraging digital technologies, and ensuring partners contribute based on their comparative advantages. For WHO, this means focusing on our core mandate: setting norms and standards, convening the global health community, and strengthening emergency surveillance.