Programme

26^th November 2026 - The Olympia, Doubletree, Qawra

Programme is being completed and is subject to changes, please re-visit this page for any updates

08:00

Registration & Coffee

08:30

Welcome & Introduction

Mark Azzopardi, Co-Founder at Working Town

08:35

Keynote (by video): A prescription for change

"Leadership in an era of healthcare disruption"

A video message from Dr Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament

Chapter 1

Healthcare & society:

Equitable access to innovative medicines

08:40

2 interventions: Innovation without borders

"Ensuring equal access to healthcare regardless of where we live"

Gertrude Buttigieg, Chairperson at the Malta Health Network | Sina Bugeja, European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)

09:10

Keynote (by video)

A video message from The Hon Dr Ian Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health

09:15

Panel: Borders, barriers & budgets

"The challenge to access innovative medicines"

Led by Kenneth Briffa, Chair of the Healthcare Executive Committee of the Malta Chamber

Panelists: Dr Clement Mifsud Bonnici, Partner at Ganado Advocates, Public procurement & regulatory law | Maria Giulia Borg, Economist 'Going beyond GDP' | Isabella Zahra Pulis, Chairperson Exceptional Medicines Treatment and Secretary to the Government Formulary List Advisory Committee

In attendance, listening in...:

Dr Renzo Degabriele, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Health

The Hon. Dr Stephen Spiteri, Shadow Minister for Health

10:00

Comments from the policy makers

"From listening to action"

Dr Renzo Degabriele, Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Ministry for Health

The Hon. Dr Stephen Spiteri, Shadow Minister for Health

10:10

Coffee Break

10:30

Comparing notes from Cyprus & Italy

"Case studies, best practices from a patient advocacy group and a medicines agency perspective"

Marios Kouloumas, Honorary President at CyFPA (Cyprus Federation of Patients' Associations) | Dr Armando Magrelli, Head of the International Relations Office at the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA)

11:00

A conversation between a patient,

a doctor and a pharmacist

Led by Joanna Gatt, Member of the Heka 2026 Organising Committee, committed to innovation and patient centricity

Conversation partners: Dr Noel Buttigieg Scicluna, President of the National Cancer Platform | Dr Kristel von Brockdorff, Consultant Oncologist at Mater Dei Hospital | Dr Elena Zarb, Head of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, Brown’s Pharmacy

11:40

Workshops

Social Pillar

Streamlining market access for innovative medicines in Malta

Led by Chiara Scerri Herrera, Market Access & Digital Health Advocate

Rapporteur Julia Aquilina, Senior Policy Executive at the Malta Chamber

Environmental pillar

Waste management in medical and pharmaceutical facilties

Gabby Grech Larsson, Sustainability Consultant

Rapporteur Alistair Grima, Policy Executive at the Malta Chamber

12:40

Networking Lunch

13:40

Where do we go from here?

"Rapporteur summary, and a commitment to action"

Kenneth Briffa, Chair of the Healthcare Executive Committee of the Malta Chamber | Julia Aquilina, Senior Policy Executive at the Malta Chamber

Chapter 2

Healthcare & the environment:

Waste management in medical and pharmaceutical facilities

13:50

Keynote: The sustainable finance evaluation model

"A new framework for ESG-driven healthcare investments"

Fotios Rizos, PhD(c) in sustainable finance and ESG factors in healthcare at the University of West Attica, Greece | Prof Anastasios Sepetis, Expert on sustainable and environmental management, social investment & social entrepreneurship, and former hospital manager

14:20

Water EDUCare: Tackling pharmaceutical pollution at its source

"How healthcare education and hospital-led action can reduce pharmaceutical pollution in waterways and help fight antimicrobial resistance"

Dr Ermira Tartari, Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta | Duncan Munro, Radiographer at Mater Dei hospital

14:30

Panel: Healing the system

"Navigating new policy mandates in medical and pharmaceutical waste management"

Mark Azzopardi, Co-founder a Working Town

Panelists: Giuseppe De Angelis, Team Manager, Ambient Quality and Waste Unit at the Environment & Resources Authority (ERA) | Dr Tania Melillo Fenech, Public Health specialist at the Department of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | Prof Anthony Serracino-Inglott, CEO at the Medicines Authority

In attendance, listening in...:

Matteo Privitelli, Assistant Director (Environmental Sustainability)

Sustainable Development

The Hon. Inġ Mark Anthony Sammut, Shadow Minister for Energy & the Environment

15:15

Comments from the Policy makers

Matteo Privitelli, Assistant Director (Environmental Sustainability)

Sustainable Development

The Hon. Inġ Mark Anthony Sammut, Shadow Minister for Energy & the Environment

15:35

Coffee Break

15:55

Panel: Smart scraps

"How technology & artificial intelligence are changing the life cycle of medical products"

Led by Alistair Grima, Policy executive at the Malta Chamber

Panelists: Aderemi Baderwina, Waste and Environmental Management Professional | Brian Cardona, Founder at ElectroWaste Malta Ltd | Prof Alexei Dingli, Professor of AI at the University of Malta, Entrepreneur & former member of the Malta.AI task force