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Making my way to Manila

My flight leaves in T-2 hours and I'm just about packed and good to go. Taking carry-on luggage only leaves me slightly limited on space but given that i've got a short stopover in Hong Kong I don't want to risk my bag NOT making it to Manila. That would be a disaster given i'm only on the ground in The Philippines for about 48 hours.



I'm hosting and M/C ing the UNITE Global Summit 2026. UNITE Parliamentarians Network for Global Health is an organisation that kind of does what it says on the tin - it convenes health ministers from across the globe and brings them together with civil society, multilateral finance organisations and the private sector - all to try to further the cause of Global Health. Which, quite frankly, is really under strain right now given the post-pandemic distrust, the end of funding from traditional donors and the growing disparity between the haves and the have nots. Fundamentally, governments across the world are facing rising debt burdens and the easy option is to cut funding and investment on health while servicing that debt. Easy it might be, narrow-minded and ignorant, it definitely is. This summit title is POLITICAL COURAGE TO INVEST - it's about showing politicians how to make the case for health in their own parliaments, by proving how investing in health is not expenditure, but rather growth, security and social cohesion.


From Monday morning I'll be holding plenary and bespoke sessions on global financing and health equity, on political leadership, on the partnerships necessary to drive through policy at the regional, national and global level.


Jet-lag permitting i'm planning to document the trip in a video diary which i'll share here and on my socials. Having just written about Travelling Solo for my Substack (please do subscribe!) I think it's important to show just how much goes in to these short trips - the prep, the work itself, the physical and mental strain of sleep deprivation.


I've now got the small matter of a 12 hour flight followed by a 3 hour connecting flight. As soon as I touch down in Manila I will be in performance mode

 
 
 

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