Annual Conference

44th GTP Annual Conference 2026 - Dinslaken

Date

13 -15 March 2026

Venue

Dinslaken

Organisers

tba


Topic: Artificial Intelligence in Global Child Health


Further information will be published here soon.


43rd GTP Annual Conference 2025 - Gießen

Date

2 - 4 May 2025

Venue

Medical Teaching Center
Klinikstr. 29, 35392 Giessen,
Germany

Organisers

Melina Althoff, Nellie Bell, Michael Knipper, Sophia von Nasse & Team

Title: “Decolonizing Global Child Health”: Critical Reflections and Dialogue to Ensure the Right to Health for All Children Worldwide


Welcome note

Dear fellow healthcare practitioners, dear students, dear interested guests,

we would like to invite you to the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Tropical Paediatrics and International Child Health (GTP) in May 2025. We welcome you to join us in the discussion around Decolonizing Global Health, especially emphasizing the right to health for all children worldwide.

The major objective of the conference is to facilitate critical reflection and constructive dialogue regarding the historically shaped power imbalances and structures in the field of global health research, teaching, and practice between high-income countries and low-income countries.

During the conference, we will listen to and discuss with international experts, researchers and practitioners to analyze the given structures and challenges of global child health and discuss new ways of achieving more equitable health care. Together, we would like to encourage the discourse and engage in the process of re-imagining global child health through interactive workshops, input presentations and panel discussions.

In addition to clinical topics, we will be addressing the following issues:

  • Global Child Health Today: International perspectives and challenges for the health and well-being of children worldwide, including violence, conflict and war
  • Addressing inequities through the lens of intersectionality: In-depth exploration of racism and other forms of discrimination affecting child health and well-being
  • Decolonizing International Cooperation? A conversation on histories, experiences, powers, and perspective

Read More


Program


12 pmRegistration
1 pm - 2:30 pmBoard meeting GTP e.V.
2:30 pm - 3 pmRefreshments
3 pm - 4:30 pmPre-Conference Workshops (parallel sessions):

1.Global Health Professional Exchange: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
• Irene Schmidt (GTP e.V., Germany), Tiavina Randrianarimalala (Antananarivo, Madagascar), Sylvie Anne Genier (Switzerland), Anna Njillo (Germany)

2. „Beat the Heat“ - Developing a Heat-Health Action Plan Protecting Health and Building Resilience
Building on experience from an international audience to fuel discussion and exchange we will evaluate and develop concepts for various settings
• Katharina Ruppert (Germany), Prof. Diavolana Köcher (Madagascar), Dr. Alexander Weise (Germany), Dr. Sarah Kotsias-Konopelska (Germany), Dr. Charlotte Adamczick (Switzerland), Dr. Nellie Bell (Freetown, Sierra Leone)

3. ETAT – Emergency Triage Assessment and Treatment (fully booked)
• Dr. Babara Zimmer (Münster, Germany), Simone Ross (Bonn, Germany), Anke Fischalek, Sara Loetz (The Gambia), Dr. Amie Conteh (The Gambia), Dr. Haja Sovula (Freetown, Sierra Leone)

4. Ultrasound in Low Resource Settings
• Dr. Tobias Wowra, Dr. Bernd Erkert, Dr. Anish Joshi (Kathmandu, Nepal), Dr. Namala Mkopi (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania), Dr. Zainab Maluk (Blantyre, Malawi)

5. Language Mediation in Clinical Practice
• PD Dr. med. Amand Führer (Halle, Germany)

6. FGM/C in Children
• Dr. Maryam En-Nosse, Dr. Leonie Wohlklang, Dr. Katharina Ulreich (Giessen, Germany)

7. Analyzing Images and Tropes of Migration in Public Media: Interactions between Affect and Narratives in Legacy and Social Media
• Dr. Simona Adinolfi (Giessen, Germany)
4:30 pm - 5 pmCoffee Break
5 pm - 5:30 pmConference Opening

Dr. Sarah Kotsias-Konopelska, PD Dr. Robin Kobbe (Chairs GTP e.V.)

Prof. Dr. Katharina Lorenz (President JLU Giessen)

Prof. Dr. Jürgen Lohmeyer, (Dean, Faculty of Medicine, JLU Giessen)

His Excellency Mr. Joseph John Mpinganjira (Ambassador of the Republic of Malawi)

Joint conference chair: Dr. Nellie Bell (Sierra Leone and GTP e.V.), Prof. Dr. Michael Knipper (JLU Giessen), cand. med. Sophia von Nasse (JLU Giessen)
5:30 pm - 6 pmKeynote: Prof. Dr. Anuj Kapilashrami (University of Essex, UK)
6:10 pm - 7:15 pmPanel 1: Decolonizing Global Child Health and the Universal Right to Health of Children Worldwide: Starting the Conversation

Prof. Dr. Anuj Kapilashrami (Essex, UK), Dr. Nellie Bell (Sierra Leone and GTP e.V.), Dr. Cornelius Rau (GTP e.V., Germany), cand. med. Sophia von Nasse (JLU Giessen)

Chair: Prof. Dr. Michael Knipper (JLU Giessen), Vera Scheuermeyer (GTP e.V., Germany)
7:30 pmGet Together
9 am - 10:15 amClinical Presentations (GTP e.V.), slot 1

Presentation of clinically relevant research and implementation projects and initiatives
Abstract presentations

• J. Msikiti, Martina Fier (Witten, Germany): Carer’s perspectives of child health rights consideration during service delivery at a Malawian district hospital

• Shamirah Nassonko (Kampala, Uganda): Adolescent mental health and Child services in Communities in Uganda

• Dr. Irem Tuncer Ebeturk (Berlin, Germany): The Global Rise in Children’s Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Prevalence: A Macro-Sociological Explanation

• Judith Steinhorst (Witten, Germany): Evaluating the promotion of children’s rights in health care at Dedza District Hospital, Malawi findings of a baseline survey among healthcare workers

Chairs: Dr. Hammed Adetola (Freetown, Sierra Leone), Dr. Irene Eseohe Akhigbe (Freetown, Sierra Leone)
10:15 am - 10:30 amCoffee Break
10:30 am - 12 pmPanel 2: Addressing Health Inequities through the Lens of Intersectionality:

An In-depth Exploration of Racism and Other Forms of Discrimination That Affect Child Health and Well-Being

• Prof. Dr. Delanjathan Devakumar (University College London, UK): Racism, Xenophobia, Discrimination, and Global Child Health: From Research Evidence to Action
• Gilda Sahebi (Berlin, Germany): How we are trained in racism – A German Perspective
• Prof. Dr. Greta Olson (JLU Giessen): Images and Narratives of Otherness and Dehumanization Practices
• Discussant: Dr. Nellie Bell (Freetown, Sierra Leone)

Chairs: Dr. Irene Ephraim (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania), Prof. Dr. Michael Knipper (JLU Giessen)
12:00 pm - 12:30 pmPresentation of the Code of Conduct by the GPT e.V.

Dr. Sarah Kotsias-Konopelska (GTP e.V.), Carmen Herr (Alzey, Germany), Karolina da Souza Friedrichsen (Tübingen, Germany), Claudia Eger (Stuttgart, Germany)
12:30 pm - 1:30 pmLunch Break
1:30 pm - 3 pmPanel 3: Global Child Health Today:

International perspectives and challenges for the health and wellbeing of children worldwide, including violence, conflict and war

• Dr. Hammed Adetola (Freetown, Sierra Leone): Decolonizing Care: Neonatal care and nursing in a Post-Ebola country
• Dr. Irene Eseohe Akhigbe (Freetown, Sierra Leone): Paternalism versus Autonomy in Child health: Would decolonisation be enough?
• Dr. Nataliia Masiak (Kiev, Ukraine): Mental health and wellbeing of children in the context of violence and war in Ukraine
• Ann-Marie Nathan (Frankfurt, Germany): Mental health and wellbeing of refugee children in Germany

Chairs: Dr. Amie Conteh (The Gambia), Prof. Elizabeth Molyneux (UK)
3 pm - 3:30 pm Coffee break
3:30 pm - 4:30 pmBreakout-groups

Opportunity for joining moderated breakout groups (in different languages) for discussion and joint reflection of topics, impressions, ideas related to the panels in parallel small groups
4:30 pm - 5:30 pmPosterwalk
5:30 pm General Assembly GTP e.V.
8 pm Social Event @ Brasserie zum Gambrinus
Klinikstraße 21, 35392 Giessen
9 am - 10:00 am Clinical Presentations (GTP e.V.), slot 2

Presentation of clinically relevant research and implementation projects and initiatives

Abstract presentations:

• Florian Schneider (Münster, Germany): Evaluation of the effectiveness and use of reusable menstrual kits in Northern Tanzania

• Niels Ziegelasch (London, UK): Ukrainian families’ transnational living and perception of Germany’s health care system in times of war

Chairs: Dr. Hammed Adetola (Freetown, Sierra Leone), Dr. Irene Eseohe Akhigbe (Freetown, Sierra Leone)
10:00 am - 10:15 am Coffee Break
10:15 am - 12:15 pmPanel 4: Decolonizing International Cooperation? A conversation on histories, experiences, powers, and perspectives


• Dr. Philipp Peprah (Kapando, Ghana): Pediatric care in resource poor settings in rural and urban regions of Ghana

• Dr. Namala Mkopi (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania): International cooperation in medical care, research and education
Norman Lufesi (Lilongwe, Malawi): International cooperation in medical care, research and education

• Norman Lufesi (Lilongwe, Malawi): International cooperation in medical care, research and education

Short Break

• Prof. Dr. Michael Krawinkel (Frankfurt, Germany): History and development of GTP and tropical medicine, critical perspective on GTP and its work

• Dr. Kathrin Baumgartner (Cap Anamur e.V., GTP e.V., Passau, Germany): Decolonizing Aid: Empowering Self-Determination in Conflict Zones.

• Discussant: Prof. Dr. Anuj Kapilashrami (Essex, UK)

• General Discussion

Chairs: Jerónimo da Conceição Augusto Sequice (Beira, Mozambique), Diavolana Köcher (Madagaskar)
12:15 pm - 12:30 pmCoffee Break
12:30 pm - 12:45 pmHelmut Wolf Award ceremony
12:45 pm - 1:30 pmRecap, farewell & invitation to GTP conference 2026
1:30 pm - 2:30 pmLunch/Snack
Download: Program

Conference Language: English
Nota bene: Photos and videos will be taken during the event to publicize the GTP and its projects


Workshops

Global Health Professional Exchange: Opportunities, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
(Tiavina Noely Randrianarimalala, Sylvie Anne Genier, Anna Njillo, Irene Schmidt)
In this workshop, we will explore key aspects of international partnerships, focusing on effective collaboration, intercultural communication, and common challenges. Through group discussions, we will reflect on mutual learning, equality in cooperation, and ways to improve communication. We will also address potential obstacles, such as differing expectations, guidelines, and the role of decolonization in project work. By sharing experiences and perspectives, participants will develop strategies for stronger, more respectful, and solution-oriented partnerships.
More Information and Flyer

ETAT+ (fully booked)
(Dr. Babara Zimmer; Simone Ross, Anke Fischalek, Sara Loetz, Dr. Amie Conteh (The Gambia), Dr. Haja Sovula (Freetown, Sierra Leone))
ETAT (Emergency Triage, Assessment, and Treatment) is a comprehensive and proven “critical care pathway” developed in Malawi and adopted by the WHO. The program decreases the delay to treatment for critically ill children and enables all health staff to initiate emergency care following a standardized approach. It focuses on the most common manifestations of pediatric emergencies and provides only cost-effective recommendations, making it particularly suitable for resource-limited settings.
The ETAT Germany working group of the German Society of Tropical Pediatrics and Global Child Health (GTP) offers ETAT Plus courses in Germany for all healthcare personnel who are (or will be) working with children in resource-restricted settings.

Workshop on FGM in Children
(Dr. med Maryam En-Nosse, Dr. med Leonie Wohlklang, Dr. med Katharina Ulreich)
This workshop introduces the topic of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in children. The focus will be on the significance of FGM in pediatrics and the particular challenges it poses in child protection cases. We will discuss the differtent Types of FGM in Children, particularities in diagnostics, the health and psychological consequences, as well as the legal and ethical aspects that professionals should consider when dealing with affected children.

Sprachbarrieren und dolmetschervermittelte Kommunikation im klinischen Alltag (German Workshop)
(PD Dr. med habil Amand-Gabriel Führer)
Dieser Workshop beleuchtet die Möglichkeiten des Umgangs mit Sprachbarrieren im klinischen Alltag und erarbeitet die Vor- und Nachteile verschiedener in der Praxis etablierter Herangehensweisen. Ein Schwerpunkt liegt hierbei insbesondere auf der Arbeit mit Sprachmittler*innen und den Besonderheiten, die ihr Einsatz für die Gesprächsführung mit sich bringt. Neben der theoretischen Auseinandersetzung mit diesen Themen, sind in den Workshop praktische Übungen integriert, in denen die Teilnehmenden üben können, eine dolmetschervermittelte Anamnese zu erheben.

„Beat the Heat“ – Developing a Heat-Health Action Plan Protecting Health and Building Resilience
(Katharina Ruppert (Germany), Prof. Diavolana Köcher (Madagaskar), Dr. Alexander Weise (Germany), Dr. Sarah Kotsias-Konopelska (Germany), Dr. Charlotte Adamczick (Germany), Dr. Nellie Bell (Sierra Leone))
Building on experience from an international audience to fuel discussion and exchange we will evaluate and develop concepts for various settings

Analyzing Images and Tropes of Migration in Public Media: Interactions between Affect and Narratives in Legacy and Social Media
(Dr. Simona Adinolfi )
Consider the word migration. Think about all the time you hear it in your daily browsing of news feed, social media platforms, TV programs, casual conversations. Consider now, how much you actually think of the meaning beyond the word, but more than the simple meaning, how much you actually think of the human beings who migrate in today’s globalized world. In this workshop, we are going to learn how to pay attention to and understand images of migration critically. We will look at images of migration that can be found on newspapers, social media, on tv, and on NGO poster campaigns and discuss how they are framed and built to trigger certain emotions into us viewers. What stories do images of migration tell us? What emotions do they want to trigger in us? How can we understand them critically and go beyond our immediate affective reaction to them? These are some of the questions we are going to answer during the workshop.

Ultrasound
(Dr. med Tobias Wowra, Bernd Erkert)
Implementing and practising paediatric ultrasound in low resource settings- benefits and challenges
An interactive workshop with special insights  into the state of the art from Malawi and Nepal.


Social program

FRIDAY

Get-together

Join us to unwind and connect in a relaxed atmosphere with a standing buffet, included in your conference fee.
Please let us know during the conference sign up if you plan to attend.

SATURDAY

Social Evening

Look forward to a special evening! The participation fee is 40 € (regular) or 20 € (for students). The fee includes the program, a shared dinner, as well as soft drinks and hot beverages until 10 pm. Alcoholic drinks are not included. After 10 pm, drinks can be purchased at your own expense.

Please register as soon as possible during the conference sign-up.

Venue: Brasserie zum Gambrinus, Klinikstrasse 21, 35392 Giessen, Germany

Late registrations are possible by email until April 28, 2025, at gtp2025anmeldung@globalchildhealth.de.


Registration, fees and cancellation policy

Conference fee

CME Points

Accreditation as continuing medical education with 12 CME points has been approved by the State Medical Association of Hesse (Landesärztekammer Hessen).

Cancellation Policy

  • Cancellation until 04.03.2025 (inclusive): Full refund of the participation fee
  • Cancellation until 30.03.2025 (inclusive): 50% of the participation fee must be paid
  • Cancellation after 30.03.2025: 100% of the participation fee must be paid


Venue

Medical Education Center at Justus Liebig University in Giessen, Germany

Klinikstraße 29, 35392 Gießen, Germany

Accommodation

When making your hotel reservation, please don’t forget to use the promo code „GTP Conference / JLU Gießen“ to receive a discount.

Hotel List

Conflicts of interest and sponsoring

The content of this event is designed to be neutral with respect to commercial products and services. We confirm that the scientific leadership and speakers disclose any potential conflicts of interest to the participants. There is no corporate sponsorship of the event. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is supporting the annual meeting with up to €26,400 (DFG project number: 562367488). The total costs of the event amount to approximately €48,000.


Contact details

General inquiries and comments (not for registration): gtp2025@globalchildhealth.de

Banking details

Gesellschaft für Tropenpädiatrie und
Internationale Kindergesundheit (GTP) e. V.
Volksbank im Münsterland eG
IBAN: DE70 4036 1906 7327 1653 03
BIC: GENO DEM1 IBB
Reference: “GTP2025 fee, your name and surname”