The World Health Students’ Alliance (WHSA) is one of the largest interprofessional healthcare alliances. The International Association of Dental Students’ (IADS), the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) and the International Veterinary Students’ Association (IVSA) have joint forces to form a strong coalition of international health student organisations that advances global health through common initiatives.

The idea of the WHSA was implemented on 17th of November 2014, when representatives of the International Association of Dental Students (IADS), the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA), and the International Pharmaceutical Students’ Federation (IPSF) have reached a final consensus and signed the funding declaration.

The declaration marks the beginning of implementing a collaboration which aims to strengthen interdisciplinary advocacy, to commonly contribute to the advancement of health and to develop and implement improved health policies together with multisectorial stakeholders. We understand that it is important to have a common action on challenges that are now present in our society. The Alliance has a reach-out capacity of over 1.8 million health students in more than 125 countries worldwide.

November 17th, 2014 was then chosen as the date to start the Alliance, in order to honour students being the key agents of change, to underline their responsibility for communities that surround them and to commemorate the past and present efforts of all students worldwide. The location is not accidental as well, since 75 years ago historical events happened in Prague, which since 1941 we commemorate as International Students day.

Modern health care is highly specialised discipline which calls for synergic cooperation of various healthcare professionalists together in order to improve health of patients and thus of populations around the world. Hence, the founding members of the WHSA are confident the Alliance will serve this purpose as a tool of effective and collaborative work to answer this need for the best interests of the patients.

WHSA Implementation – Prague Declaration
WHSA Inauguration Press Release