Dr Magda Robalo is a public health physician whose career spans for over 30 years in the global health ecosystem. A former Minister of Health of Guinea-Bissau, she embodies a unique

blend of a talented and experienced public health expert with seasoned diplomacy, and fine political skills.

She is the President and co-founder of The Institute for Global Health and Development (www.ighd-gb.org), a private non-profit foundation established in December 2021, with the vision to advance women’s leadership in global health and promote women’s empowerment by addressing gender inequality, stimulating financial inclusion and integration of women into the formal economy.

She is the Vice Chair of the Ethics and Governance Committee and Alternate Board Member of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for West and Central Africa. She is also a member of the Africa Public Health Foundation Council and Vice Chair of the Africa

Constituency Bureau for the Global Fund. She championed transformative reforms of the health sector as the Minister of Health and led the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic as the High Commissioner for COVID-19 in Guinea-Bissau.

She was the World Health Organisation Africa Region Director of Communicable Diseases, WHO Representative to Namibia and Ghana, Malaria Regional Advisor among other senior positions throughout her two decade long career with WHO.

A leading voice for gender equality and equity, she is a trailblazer who stands for equitableaccess to quality health care for all and social justice.