WFPHA Side Event: Hackathons for Public Health

Young AI Leaders Austria contributed to a World Federation of Public Health Associations side event exploring a question still rare in global health: can hackathons meaningfully foster innovation in healthcare?

What happened

The programme, MC’d by Mohamed Osman, MD, showcased three digital prototypes and invited feedback from voices including Prof. Bettina Borisch, Mathew Keks, Aferdita Bytyqi, and Paul Barach. Discussion placed digital health technologies in global context and examined the hackathon method as a way to accelerate public health solutions—with an eye toward further events around the World Congress of Public Health.

Why it matters

Public health needs faster learning loops without abandoning clinical and ethical standards. Side events like this translate builder culture into a language health leaders can evaluate and adopt.