Orazio SchillaciMinister of Health · Italy

International health

Health without borders.

Pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and the movement of health workers do not stop at national borders. As Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci has represented Italy in the European Union, the G7, the United Nations, the OECD and the World Health Organization, and chaired the G7 health ministers in 2024.

Schematic map of documented international engagements New York on the left; on the right, an enlarged schematic of Europe marking Dublin, Paris, Geneva, Ancona, Sofia and Rome, with arcs from Rome to each location. ATLANTICEUROPE · ENLARGED NEW YORK · UN DUBLIN PARIS · OECD GENEVA · WHO ANCONA · G7 SOFIA ROME
Schematic map, not to scale. European locations are enlarged for legibility.

Dossier

Documented engagements.

Only meetings and statements confirmed by official or reputable published sources are included.

9–11 October 2024Ancona

G7 Health Ministers' Meeting

Under Italy's 2024 G7 presidency, the Minister hosted the health ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States in Ancona, in the Marche region. He said he chose the city because of the quality of its health facilities.

The agenda covered the global health architecture and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; healthy and active ageing through lifelong prevention and innovation; and the One Health approach, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance. Italy committed $21 million to research and development of new antibiotics. The Minister described antimicrobial resistance as "a silent war that requires new weapons to combat it".

Sources: Quotidiano Sanità; Avvenire; Il Resto del Carlino; DIRE, October 2024.

21 September 2023New York

UN High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage

At the 78th session of the UN General Assembly, the Minister delivered Italy's statement on universal health coverage. He pointed out that the Italian Constitution recognises health as a universal right, cited the Political Declaration's emphasis on primary care, where "90 per cent of essential health interventions can be delivered", and called for extra effort to support fragile countries in strengthening their health systems.

He also reaffirmed Italy's support for the Global Fund's work on HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, and stressed gender-equitable access to health systems.

Orazio Schillaci at a lectern beside a green banner reading 'High-level meeting on Universal Health Coverage'
At the lectern of the High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage.

GenevaWorld Health Organization

Engagement with the WHO

Italy is a long-standing member of the World Health Organization and a supporter of a stronger global health architecture, one of the priorities of its 2024 G7 health agenda. The photograph shows the Minister with WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, under the "Health for All" branding of the WHO's 75th anniversary.

"To make 'Health for all' a reality," he told the United Nations in 2023, "skilled health workers providing quality and people-centered care, and policymakers committed to investing in Universal Health Coverage are essential."

Orazio Schillaci standing with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and another delegate in front of World Health Organization and 'Health for All' backdrops
With WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (right).

January 2024Paris

OECD Health Ministerial Meeting

The Minister was a speaker at the OECD Health Ministerial Meeting, where health ministers of OECD member countries discussed the resilience and performance of health systems. The OECD's speaker profile describes him as a physician and full professor of nuclear medicine, former Rector of Tor Vergata, and Minister of Health since October 2022.

Source: OECD Events, Health Ministerial speaker profile.

5 March 2024Sofia

Italy–Bulgaria cooperation on cancer prevention

At the Bulgarian Ministry of Health, the Minister met his Bulgarian counterpart, Prof. Hristo Hinkov, to discuss a joint action plan for cancer prevention initiatives in Bulgaria. The meeting was promoted by the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria and coordinated by the Italian Embassy in Sofia.

Orazio Schillaci shaking hands with Bulgarian Health Minister Hristo Hinkov in front of the Bulgarian flag and the sign of the Bulgarian Ministry of Health
With Bulgarian Health Minister Prof. Hristo Hinkov, Sofia. Sources: BTA; Assocamerestero.

1 October 2026Dublin

“The Prevention Dividend: Health as a Driver of Prosperity”

Guest of honour at an event on connecting policy, business and medicine between Ireland and Italy, held at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and promoted with the Italian Embassy in Dublin and the Italian-Irish Chamber of Commerce. The visit coincided with Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the EU in the second half of 2026. Italian press reports also record the Minister's participation in EPSCO discussions in Dublin on life-sciences innovation, prevention and public health.

Source: event programme (photographed); Italian press review, October 2026. See Activities.

BilateralHealth diplomacy

Bilateral meetings

Bilateral meetings with other health ministers are a routine part of the role, held on the margins of multilateral summits or as official visits. They cover cooperation on medicines, the training and movement of health workers, research and disease prevention. Italy's statement to the UN in 2023 highlighted its bilateral and multi-bilateral initiatives for primary health care, particularly in Africa and the Middle East.

Orazio Schillaci shaking hands with an Indian official in a meeting room, with small Indian and Italian flags on the table
A bilateral meeting with an Indian delegation, with the flags of India and Italy.

Themes

Italy's international health positions.

European health policy

In the EU Council's EPSCO configuration, health ministers coordinate on pharmaceuticals, cross-border threats, cancer plans and the European Health Data Space. Italy's prevention-and-deficit proposal is aimed at the European fiscal framework.

Global health architecture

A priority of the 2024 G7 health track: making the global system faster and more coordinated in preventing, preparing for and responding to health emergencies.

Antimicrobial resistance

"A silent war" in the Minister's words, backed by Italy's $21 million G7 commitment to new antibiotics.

Universal health coverage

Primary care as the cornerstone, support for fragile countries, and equity, including gender-equitable access, as the measure of success.

Healthy ageing

An area where Italy, with one of the world's oldest populations, has direct experience to share, and a G7 theme under its presidency.

One Health

Linking human, animal and environmental health, reflected in Italy's single ministry covering human and veterinary public health.

Continue readingHealthcare PolicyThe national system behind Italy's positions abroad.Continue readingSpeeches & StatementsFull sourcing for the UN statement and more.Continue readingActivities & NewsThe complete chronology.