The Prince Mahidol Award Conference brought together international leaders in public health to discuss high-priority health issues in Bangkok, Thailand. The 10th annual gathering was held under the theme “Addressing the health of vulnerable populations for an inclusive society” and took place from 29 January to 3 February.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn attended the opening session, which included a keynote address from Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, of Harvard University, who spoke about how living in a sharply unequal society affects health.

UNAIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria organized a session called From Exclusion to Leadership: Learning from the AIDS Response. The session explored how knowledge from the response to HIV could be used in addressing vulnerability, marginalization and social exclusion at the global, regional and national levels. It looked at lessons and approaches that are transferable to the broader health agenda.

Another session co-organized by UNAIDS and the World Health Organization was entitled Discrimination in Health Care—Determinants and Consequences. It examined how discrimination leads to poor health outcomes, leaving people who are stigmatized even more vulnerable to ill-health and its consequences.