speaker-photo

Arnon Afek

Director of the Sheba General Hospital of Ramat Gan, former Director General of the Public Health Ministry of Israel

Prof. Arnon Afek is the Associate Director General, the Acting Director of Sheba General Hospital and the Chairman of the Department of Medical Administration at the Sheba Medical Center after completing his tenure as the Director General (DG) and the Associate Medical DG of the Israeli Ministry of Health (2014-17).
In the MOH, Prof Afek led the reforms in Psychiatric Care, the regulation of Cannabis for Medical use and Public transparency in the publishing the outcomes of Hospitals quality indicators. 

He is the Founding Chairman of the National council on Pathology and Forensic Medicine 

In 2015, Prof. Afek was personally appointed as a member of the Bureau of Governors of the OECD Health Committee, taking a role in designing health policy in the OECD. 

Since 2011, Prof. Afek also serves as the Director of the NY State/American MD Program and Professor of Public Health at the Sackler School of Medicine and the Coller School of Management, Tel Aviv University.
He is a Professor at the Nicosia University Medical School, Cyprus. 

He chaired the Committee that recommended the establishment of the Sheldon & Miriam Adelson Medical School in Ariel. 

Previously, Prof. Afek was the Director of Medical Affairs, Head of the Emergency Services of the Israeli Ministry of Health (2012-2014) and the Deputy Director of Sheba General Hospital (2007-2012). 

Prof. Afek is a Col. (res) and a member of the IDF-MC Helsinki (IRB) Committee and has previously served as the Head of Occupational Medicine and Medical Classification Branch as well as the Chairman of the Department of Medical Administration at the IDF Medical Corps (2004-7). 

Dr. Arnon Afek received his medical training at the Hebrew University and  Hadassah School of Medicine (1981-1987), residency in Anatomical Pathology at the Sheba Medical Center and fellowship in Medical Administration (board certified Cum Laude) at the Sheba Medical Center and at the Ministry of Health.
He completed M.A in Health Administration Cum Laude at Ben-Gurion University (2000-2002). 

He is a graduate of the Wexner Senior Leadership Executive Program (WSLP 16), Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. 

Prof. Afek has published more than 150 peer reviewed papers in the medical literature including in NEJM, JAMALancet and Circulation and has received numerous awards, including the Tel Aviv University Rector's Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Kellerman Award and the Goldberg Award, both for research in Cardiology; the Israel National Quality Award and the Award of Excellence in Military Medicine. 

He was awarded in 2016 the Israeli Civil Service Commission Award for reducing bureaucracy in physician licensing and Quality Improvement Award for advancing quality of care in Neonatal Units throughout Israel. 

In 2017 Prof Afek received the Society for Patients' Rights in Israel "Certificate of Recognition for the contribution to Patients healthcare". 

He lecturers in numerous medical conferences and delivered The John M. Eisenberg, M.D. International Lecture at The Commonwealth Fund's 18th Annual International Symposium on Health Care Policy. 

He is married to a Pediatric Dentist, Dr. Limor Afek, and they live in Rosh Ha’ayin with their two children Shahar and Oren.  

11.30 am – 1.15 pm

Friday 25th Feb

Session II: Public Health Security and social protection

Moderated by Liliana Faccioli Pintozzi (Head of International News Sky TG 24)

In times of pandemic, the main goal to start a dialogue between cities is to grant protection from COVID-19, which hasn’t been reached in many
Mediterranean areas yet. Vaccine campaigns international perspectives analysis.

Keynote speech by Zsuzsanna Jakab, Deputy Director General of the WHO, former Regional Director for Europe of the WHO (IN STREAMING)

Keynote speech by Afshan Khan, UNICEF Director, Regional Office for Europe and central Asia and special coordinator refugee and migrant response in Europe

Keynote speech by Arnon Afek, Director of the Sheba General Hospital of Ramat Gan, former Director General of the Public Health Ministry of Israel (IN STREAMING).

12 pm - 1.15 pm: “Urban dialogues”, Mayors' open talk session

During this session mayors will be invited to discuss the topics addressed by the keynote speakers to debate priorities and share possible solutions.