The United States has said its rallying international support for the World Bank’s Pandemic Fund, which will help respond to future health threats while the fund has undertaken vital work to build up regional disease surveillance networks, create early warning systems, and expand public health workforces around the world.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken who made this known at the Global Health Security and Diplomacy Symposium on Tuesday said since the fund’s launch a year ago, the United States has contributed $450 million, about a quarter of its total contributions to date – and will continue to work with partners to mobilize additional support.
He said the world now know the profound risks of a global pandemic, citing COVID-19 as example which took the lives of millions of people, upended those of hundreds of millions more and it devasted economies adding that all now know that there is only one way to enhance global health security: together.
He said, “because we worked together through a coalition of 32 countries, the African Union, the European Union, the World Health Organization, alongside civil society and private sector partners from around the world, we were able to lead a global response that helped the world emerge from the acute phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Blinken noted that United States has long been committed to using the power of diplomacy to strengthen global health security, to work to eradicate diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, cholera and to contain other outbreaks like the swine flu, Ebola, and Zika.
According to him, “Today, the State Department is focused on leading the charge to ensure the international community is ready for the next health threat when comes. That’s why we worked with Congress to create the State Department’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy.
Adding that, “over the past several months, under the leadership of Ambassador John Nkengasong, our new bureau has been hard at work bringing the power and purpose of American diplomacy to that urgent mission.
“We’re also expanding PEPFAR’s reach to more effectively prevent the disease and serve those living with it. One of the ways we’re doing this is by increasing our collaboration with regional bodies, like the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the Pan American Health Organization.
“And helping build up regional manufacturing capabilities in countries, including Senegal and South Africa. We’re doing this so that countries can more quickly produce and distribute treatments, tests, protective equipment, and become less reliant on, and vulnerable to, foreign supply.
“We’re strengthening our global health security infrastructure for the long haul by helping modernize existing institutions, like the World Health Organization.
“We’re working alongside other WHO members to amend the International Health Regulations, to negotiate a Pandemic Accord, and to take other steps to ensure that we can address future health threats with speed, coordination, transparency, and equity.
“And there’s more that we’re doing: creating regular opportunities for foreign ministers to meet and coordinate efforts, building greater health expertise throughout our own diplomatic corps here in Washington and in posts around the world.
“Weaving together and updating partnerships to tackle emerging health threats – as we’ll do next month in Dubai, where ministers will meet to discuss issues at the intersection of health and climate at COP28 – for example, the rising risks posed by more frequent extreme weather events.
“Today and in the days, weeks, and months ahead we will look to all of you for your ideas, perspectives, and partnerships. Because only if we work together can we build a more healthy, safe, and secure world for all”, Secretary of State said.