Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move | ITM Colloquium 2026

About the event

The Colloquium Health in Motion: Infectious Diseases on the Move will bring together researchers, public health professionals, policy makers and innovators from around the world. Together, we will explore how movement of people, pathogens, vectors, environments and policies is reshaping the dynamics of infectious diseases, the resilience of health systems, and the strategies needed to respond to them.

The Colloquium will be hosted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Health in motion

In today's rapidly changing world, diseases move across borders, cities and ecosystems with increasing speed. Climate change, environmental disruption and shifting land use are altering the habitats of vectors and pathogens, while intensified human–animal interactions raise the risk of zoonotic spillover. At the same time, urbanisation and growing mobility create new pathways for disease occurrence, making cities key environments for understanding how infections spread and evolve. These shifts place growing pressure on health systems to adapt through stronger surveillance, responsive services, and integrated, equitable approaches to public health.

Pathogens are constantly on the move—across borders and within the body—spreading, evolving and interacting with immune systems shaped by diverse exposures. This leads to stark differences in vulnerability between populations, especially as emerging infections reshape host–pathogen interactions. Understanding these dynamics is key to explaining why infections unfold so differently worldwide.

Movement also challenges health systems’ ability to ensure continuity of care. Vulnerable populations—especially in fragile and conflict-affected settings—face disruptions in treatment, vaccination and access to medicines. At the same time, shifting funding priorities and reduced international support are increasing pressure on health systems, raising urgent questions about sustainability and resilience.

New technologies offer part of the answer. Advances in digital technologies and surveillance systems are opening new opportunities to track and respond to infectious disease threats in a constantly moving world, including through mobile data and innovative monitoring approaches.  

Structured around six thematic sessions—covering emerging infections and environmental change, disease biology and resistance, urbanisation, continuity of care, sustainability and health financing, and surveillance—the colloquium offers a platform for scientific exchange, critical reflection and collaboration.  

More information can be found on the conference website.