Reflections from our 2025 Global Health Moments event

Global health is at a crossroads. As political attention shifts elsewhere and budget cuts disrupt essential programmes, organisations are forced to rethink their strategic priorities, restructure their operations, and cut jobs. The progress made over the past decades are under threat. In a time of immense strain, communicating effectively is challenging, yet more crucial than ever.

This was the focus of our June 2025 Global Health Moments event, Rethinking Communications in Uncertain Times. We are grateful to Priti Patnaik, Founding Editor of the Geneva Health Files, and Jon Lidén, Founder of Anthropos and former Head of Communications at WHO and the Global Fund, as well as all those who attended, for their valuable contributions, which helped spark a candid and timely conversation.

Recognising the role of communications in times of change
A common concern raised during the event was the late involvement of communications teams during organisational changes. Often, communicators are brought in only after key decisions have been made, when information has already begun circulating through informal channels or the media. In some cases, employees, donors, or partners are learning more from media articles or whispers in the hallway, rather than from leadership. This not only erodes trust but also forces a reactive, rather than strategic, communications response, driven by an instinct to protect reputation instead of upholding missions and values. This approach is no longer sustainable.

Speaking with clarity, discipline and purpose
Effective communication in today’s landscape requires clarity and foresight. The reality of what has been lost needs to be acknowledged, while articulating a clear path forward. It also demands discipline: prioritising substance over volume, avoiding generalities, and ensuring that messages remain grounded in the reality of what is taking place in the field. Most importantly, it requires organisations to speak with purpose and to emphasise how they will remain relevant and effective in a rapidly changing world.

Forging a path amid uncertainty
Many global health institutions were established two decades ago, and their structures have remained largely unchanged. But today’s environment requires agility, transparency, and a willingness to confront internal inefficiencies. Leadership must be forward-thinking – not only acknowledging the need for change but demonstrating and communicating a commitment to shaping it. Their missions remain vital, but to preserve their relevance and legitimacy, they must evolve and continue to evolve. This is not simply a matter of messaging. It is a test of leadership.

An honest, human approach
Communicators must support this transformation while striking the right tone – balancing empathy with resolve and telling the truth confidently and compassionately. That means moving away from overly optimistic narratives and embracing a more honest, human approach – one that recognises the people affected by decisions, both inside and outside the organisation.

Thoughtful, strategic, and empathetic communication can help lead this evolution – not by reacting to headlines, but by setting the tone, framing the story, and reinforcing the purpose that drew us to this work in the first place.

If you’d like to learn more about our Global Health Moments or our work at Infinity Communications, please contact Marina Monzeglio at .