ISLAMABAD: The Global Health Summit, a two-day event in Islamabad with health ministers, experts, and stakeholders from around the world, concluded on Thursday with a resounding commitment to a unified, coordinated response to emerging health challenges.
The event provided a platform for knowledge exchange, insightful discussions, and the establishment of collaborative initiatives to strengthen global health security.
The gathering presented determination and shared vision among countries, transcending geopolitical boundaries in the pursuit of a common goal. Discussions covered a wide area of topics, from collaborative preparedness to the important role of resilient health systems. Delegates representing diverse corners of the globe shared invaluable insights, stressing the interconnectedness of the shared destiny.
Pakistan Proposes Global Health Security Agenda Champion Awards
Pakistan’s Caretaker Federal Minister for NHSRC, Dr. Nadeem Jan, congratulated the participating delegates and participants for making the event successful.
He said that beyond national interests, we are partners for a common goal – to ensure the health of all.
During his remarks, the health minister proposed to introduce a Global Health Security Agenda Champion Awards to be bestowed upon the nations and individuals based on their exemplary contributions to the cause. He also proposed the inclusion of a dedicated special session on global health security in both the World Health Assembly and annual UNGA agendas. This would provide a regular platform for countries to review progress, discuss emerging health challenges, and share insights on a global scale. A comprehensive five-year global action plan was proposed to guide countries in implementing strategies for enhancing health security.
Health Minister for concrete actions
Dr. Nadeem Jan said that as we conclude this summit, let it not be an endpoint but a launchpad and the beginning of the end. Commitments made here must translate into concrete measures in our respective countries.
Federal Secretary Iftikhar Ali Shalwani expressed his joy, saying that it was a “dream come true” to witness the collaborative efforts of policymakers, experts, and stakeholders from around the world. He stressed the need for continued collaboration and the implementation of evidence-based strategies to safeguard global health. In his address, he highlighted the significance of the summit as a platform for forging partnerships and creating a roadmap for collective action.
Director General of Health Dr. Muhammad Ahmed Kazi expressed sincere thanks to distinguished guests, colleagues, and participants for their active engagement throughout the summit. He also summarized the main highlights of the two-day event proceedings.
Towards the end, Federal Secretary Iftikhar Shalwani presented the main features of the declaration agreed upon by the attendees. The declaration outlines main commitments and action points that will guide future initiatives in the area of global health security.
All stakeholders and partners to expeditiously facilitate the following actions at the national and sub-national levels, taking into account local and national needs, contexts, and priorities:
● Development and strengthening of public health functions under IHR 2005 to build nations’ capacities and for early detection of outbreaks through effective surveillance systems coupled with robust response mechanisms to control disease outbreaks at their source;
● Increasing efforts to strengthen national and global cooperation at the highest possible levels that ensure sustainable, timely, and equitable access to effective, affordable, quality, safe, and essential health services, commodities, diagnostics, health technologies, vaccines, medicines, and therapeutics products;
● Expansion of coverage of safe, effective, quality, affordable, accessible, and integrated essential health services based on PHC and UHC by improving infrastructure, increasing workforce productivity, and availability of essential medicines, supplies, and health technologies while considering equitable distribution and efficient resource use;
● Enhance political ownership at all levels towards national health security by strengthening and integrating information and disease surveillance and response systems, doing regular assessments at national and sub-national levels, advancing research and the application of digital health, and conducting periodic external evaluations;
● Development of synergies among UHC, health security, and health well-being through strong governance at all levels, policy and programmatic reforms, and legislation to ensure quality services for all, including vulnerable groups residing within national territories that include hard-to-reach communities as well as marginalized populations;
● Incorporating evidence-informed policy options for climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, thereby enabling governments to prevent or reduce the health risks associated with climatic change and environmental degradation;
● Enhanced domestic financing, as appropriate, for essential health services and public health functions to improve national health security, as well as financial assistance by development partners as a catalyst towards financial sustainability, transparency, and responsiveness;
All partners and stakeholders to expeditiously facilitate actions at the global level that include:
● Establish a high-level advocacy forum on a voluntary basis to champion the cause of global health security. The forum will meet on an annual basis to review the status, deliberate and future strategic direction for countries, institutions, and organizations;
● Institute WHO-led pandemic agreement by the inter-governmental negotiating body, based on Equity and Global Solidarity to foster international cooperation to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, response, and health systems recovery, with the understanding that no one is safe until everyone is safe;
● Establish a sustainable post-emergency pandemic financing mechanism with pooling of funds and immediate disbursement of funds to developing countries in an emergency, and meeting agreed triggers and disbursement linked indicators;
● Foster consensus for institutional reforms related to multiple vertical international financing streams for sustainable, government-led, integrated health services and public health functions.
