Secretary-General of the Ministry of Health, Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha, said that three health issues will be discussed at the G20 Summit in Bali, in 2022.
“The primary issue is the means by which we fabricate the versatility of the world wellbeing framework. There are three things that we will sound out there,” he said in a webinar on Thursday (11/11).
The G20 Summit is a pivotal gathering of world leaders, where pressing global issues are discussed and strategies are formulated to address them collectively. At the 2022 G20 Summit held in Bali, Indonesia, the Ministry of Health made significant strides in advocating for prioritized health concerns on an international scale. Let’s delve into the key issues that took center stage during this critical event.
1. Global Health Security (G20 Summit)
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the looming threat of future health crises, global health security emerged as a paramount concern at the G20 Summit. The Ministry of Health emphasized the need for robust preparedness and response mechanisms to tackle pandemics and other health emergencies effectively.
One of the core discussions revolved around strengthening international cooperation in disease surveillance, early warning systems, and information sharing. This involves enhancing the capabilities of public health institutions worldwide, ensuring they have the resources and expertise to detect, monitor, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks promptly.
Furthermore, the Ministry stressed the importance of equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and essential healthcare services. Addressing disparities in healthcare delivery both within and between countries is crucial for achieving comprehensive global health security. This resonated strongly with other G20 members, leading to renewed commitments to strengthen health systems and promote health equity worldwide.
2. Mental Health and Well-being
The focus on mental health received significant attention during the 2022 G20 Summit. The Ministry of Health highlighted the necessity of prioritizing mental health and well-being within public health strategies. The pandemic has worsened existing mental health issues, emphasizing the critical need for united action.
Conversations revolved around reducing the stigma associated with mental illness, enhancing access to mental health services, and incorporating mental health support into primary healthcare systems. The Ministry stressed the importance of promoting mental health literacy and resilience-building programs, especially for marginalized groups.
The Bali Declaration on Mental Health emerged as a key outcome of these discussions, presenting a framework for collaborative endeavors to address mental health comprehensively. This declaration emphasized the importance of investing in mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment as vital components of sustainable development.
3. Climate Change and Health
Recognizing the profound impact of climate change on public health, the Ministry of Health advocated for greater integration of health considerations into climate policies and initiatives. The 2022 G20 Summit marked a critical juncture in addressing the intersection of climate change and health, emphasizing the need for coordinated action.
Discussions highlighted the health co-benefits of climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, such as reducing air pollution, promoting active transportation, and ensuring food security. The Ministry stressed the importance of building resilient health systems that can withstand the health impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events and changing disease patterns.
The Bali Climate and Health Action Plan emerged as a pivotal outcome, outlining actionable steps to advance climate-resilient health systems and promote sustainable practices. This plan underscored the imperative of addressing climate change as a public health priority, aligning with broader efforts to achieve global sustainability goals.
First, he said, raising health funds. The discussions carried out will continue the process of establishing the mechanism of the Global Health Threats Fund. This mechanism mobilizes each G20 country to raise funds of US $ 10 billion annually which will be collected over five years.
“Second, raising health resources. Discussions on increasing access to health, both medical devices and infrastructure will be discussed thoroughly,” he said.
Third, share surveillance data openly. The aim is to support the establishment of the BioHub by WHO.
“The second issue is setting global health protocol standards. What we want to encourage is to harmonize global health protocol guidelines, where we want to equalize health protocol standards in the world,” said Kunta.
This issue will also discuss the integration of health surveillance data in each country through data sharing. The PeduliLindung application owned by Indonesia will later be integrated with applications from other countries.
“So we can use it more flexibly. Compared to us to other countries using other applications, because this makes it difficult,” he explained.
The third issue is technology transfer. The aim is to increase vaccine production to meet global needs, as well as to build health resilience.
“At home, we have tried to sound a health transformation.
