Islamabad, 12 January 2024 (TDI): The inaugural Global Health Security Summit, spanning two days, kicked off on Wednesday to address the pressing challenges posed by global health threats.
This unprecedented event gathers Health Ministers from member states, international health leaders and experts, officials from leading health organizations, health technical experts, global partners, donors, and stakeholders.
Themed “Together for a Healthy Planet,” the summit aims to promote international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and strategic partnerships to bolster global health security.
The government of Pakistan has extended invitations to distinguished speakers, including health ministers and globally recognized experts in the field of global health security.
Dr. Nadeem Jan, the caretaker federal health minister, stressed a shared vision of health security as a universal right, measuring a nation’s health system strength by its preventive, detective, and mitigative capacities, not just crisis response.
Dr. Jan highlighted the tangible commitment behind the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), emphasizing Pakistan’s dedicated support.
Moreover, he stressed the importance of multisectoral collaboration, emphasizing that health, environment, agriculture, and security interplay crucially in facing shared responsibilities.
Also Read: Unified initiatives aim to revitalize Pakistan’s Health sector
Against the backdrop of recent global health crises, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Nadeem Jan underscored the significance of collective efforts, referring to the summit as a beacon of collaboration and innovation.
As the current chair of the International Health Regulations (IHR) Global Health Security Agenda, Dr. Jan reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment, stating that the summit is not just a platform for dialogue but a catalyst for actionable outcomes.
Moreover, Federal Secretary Ministry of National Health Services, Iftikhar Ali Shalwani, emphasized the summit’s importance, describing it as a testament to the global community’s commitment to collectively safeguarding nations’ well-being.
Additionally he highlighted the mission over the next two days to chart a course toward a future where health security is a fundamental human right rather than a privilege.
The summit will comprehensively cover areas such as the impact of global health security on national health security, pandemic preparedness and response, climate change and emerging public health threats, multi-sectoral coordination in the context of “one health,” sustainable financing, along with social implications during a pandemic.
){kind=link}