Key Healthcare Questions for 2026

Changes in global health governance, artificial intelligence, and climate change will shape the sector’s agenda this year amid funding cuts and workforce shortages.

Who Will Lead Global Health?

Last year, global health experienced a major shock when the administration of Donald Trump in the United States announced unprecedented cuts to humanitarian and development aid.

Since then, a number of countries have followed suit, shifting their priorities and limiting resources for international health programs.

“Recent pauses in funding for global health initiatives are creating headwinds for progress; if uncertainty persists, the consequences could extend into 2026,” warned Anja Langenbucher, Director of the Gates Foundation’s European Office. “And this is happening at a time when child mortality is beginning to rise again for the first time this century.”

She noted that there are still reasons for “cautious optimism,” pointing to AI-supported tools that can improve the targeting of healthcare services, next-generation vaccines, and climate-smart agriculture that boosts resilience and productivity.

“If stable platforms and more sustainable financing are secured—areas where the EU and others are already well positioned to lead—2026 could be the year when distant possibilities in healthcare become real solutions,” Langenbucher told Euronews.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has identified malaria as a key challenge in the coming months.

Growing Opportunities for Technological Innovation

AI and other emerging technologies are expected to transform healthcare this year by accelerating progress in diagnostics and drug development and by reducing the burden on healthcare workers.

By easing administrative pressure, doctors will be able to devote more time and attention to patients, while AI operates in the background to improve efficiency, a spokesperson added.

Health Systems and Workforce Under Strain

Another major challenge for healthcare systems is the growing workforce shortage amid rising demand, population aging, and worsening mental health among healthcare professionals themselves.

Climate Change and Emerging Threats

As the impacts of climate change intensify, new health challenges are emerging—from the faster spread of mosquito-borne diseases to the effects of biodiversity loss and increasing pollution levels.

The Fight for Competitiveness

In recent months, the pharmaceutical industry has been operating in an unstable trade environment marked by tariffs and geopolitical tensions, which will continue to shape markets in 2026.

An Opportunity for New Priorities

The year 2026 may also be a time when new health topics rise on the agenda.

“We very much hope that the growing awareness of the gender gap in healthcare that we observed in 2025 will translate into targeted funding and strong political commitments, such as an EU Women’s Health Strategy,” said Ffion Storer-Jones, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer at DSW, an international non-profit organization working in the field of sexual and reproductive health.

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