2026 Department of Surgery Global Surgery Grand Rounds

Andreas Wladis, MD, PhD, Medical Director, United Nations Headquarters

October 06, 2026 @ 7am in LKSC 130 or Zoom

“Humanitarian surgery – is it game over?”

Andreas Wladis, MD, PhD, is a Swedish surgeon and Professor of Disaster Medicine with more than two decades of experience in humanitarian surgery, conflict medicine, and global surgical systems. In March 2026 he was appointed Medical Director at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, where he is responsible for the healthcare provided to UN staff and peacekeeping personnel worldwide.

Before joining the United Nations, Dr. Wladis served as Chief Surgeon for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), leading surgical programs and supporting hospitals in armed conflicts and humanitarian crises across the globe. His work has focused on trauma care in conflict settings, surgical capacity building in low-resource environments, rehabilitation, and global surgery.

Dr. Wladis has authored more than 65 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has collaborated extensively with the World Health Organization, the ICRC, and academic institutions around the world. His research spans humanitarian surgery, disaster medicine, trauma systems, rehabilitation in conflict settings, and surgical care in low- and middle-income countries. In his lecture, he will share lessons from the field on the realities, challenges, and the future of humanitarian surgery.

Disclaimer: Prof Wladis will be speaking on his personal experience; his views do not necessarily represent those of the United Nations.