The non-profit Virchow Foundation was established in 2021 with support of the Presidents of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities as well as Members of the German Parliament and civil society to contribute to the improvement of health worldwide. This purpose is achieved through the joint commitment of highly respected individuals, currently 45 international experts who serve in the Foundation’s committees on an honorary basis. The Virchow Foundation strives to promote and raise awareness of global health issues in a targeted and comprehensive manner among the general public, both nationally and internationally, to contribute to the improvement of global health. Addressing health and disease from a holistic perspective, this awareness will be generated while regarding the complex interrelationships between medical, political, economic and social determinants. The Virchow Foundation acknowledges and closely aligns its work with the efforts of the United Nations by preserving the health of people and the planet through the attainment of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In this context the Virchow Prize for Global Health, annually awarded on the eve of the beginning of the World Health Summit (WHS), recognises outstanding lifetime achievements or innovations that have significantly contributed to improving global health and achieving ‘Health for All’. Exceptional individuals or organisations who have made a significant contribution to improving the health of the world’s population, be it through scientific, societal, technological or economic innovations, will be honoured for their commitment and achievements.