First HEKATECH.HEALTH Conference on Healthcare Innovation
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The first edition of HEKATECH.HEALTH 2026, to be held in Malta on November 26, will focus on how health systems can reconcile two increasingly urgent demands: expanding access to new medicines and technologies while reducing the sector’s environmental footprint.
The inaugural conference is being organised by Working Town, the organisers of Terra and Hygeia, in collaboration with Electrowaste Malta, a leading company specialising in the recycling of electronic waste.
The event will bring together policymakers, healthcare executives, technology companies, patient advocacy groups and sustainability specialists to a forum of discussion on practical solutions as pressure mounts on health systems to cut emissions and improve access to care.
Healthcare is estimated to account for almost 5% of global carbon emissions, placing pressure on hospitals and other providers to address energy consumption, procurement, infrastructure and the disposal of medical waste. At the same time, governments face growing questions over the affordability and equitable distribution of innovative medicines and healthcare technologies.
HEKATECH.HEALTH will examine how policy, governance and innovation can be used to address both challenges.
The first part of the programme will delve into the social pillar regarding equal access to innovative medicines, including the role of policy and governance in ensuring that technological advances do not deepen existing disparities between patients or regions.
Environmental issues will form a second major pillar, with discussions expected to cover circular-economy models, medical-waste management and more sustainable healthcare infrastructure.
“The future of healthcare in Malta depends on our ability to deliver innovation responsibly and sustainably, ensuring that patients have equitable access to the advances they need,” said Joanna Gatt from Hekatech.Health’s team.
“Hekatech.Health was created to bring together diverse expertise across healthcare, sustainability, technology and public policy to develop practical solutions that improve both environmental performance and equitable access to care,” she added.
The programme will combine keynote speeches and expert panels with discussions focused on Maltese policy. Maltese specialists will appear alongside European speakers, with the organisers also seeking to use the conference to develop partnerships between healthcare institutions, technology providers, policymakers and sustainability organisations.
At a time when healthcare systems across Europe are under increasing pressure from financial constraints, ageing populations, and sustainability demands, this initiative promotes collaboration and innovation as key drivers of change. The conference aims to serve as a catalyst for developing a healthcare system in Malta that is both sustainable and resilient, while remaining responsive to the needs of patients and society.
