Corona was not the last pandemic – experts all over the world agree on that. In order to better prevent future mass diseases, a permanent fund is now being set up.
The G20 countries have agreed to set up a fund to better prepare for future pandemics.
The World Bank-led Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) is expected to become active later this month following a World Bank board meeting, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said Tuesday evening (local time) at the end of a G20 finance and health ministers meeting in Yogyakarta. Indonesia holds the G20 presidency this year.
Some countries, including Germany, Indonesia and Singapore as well as the USA and the European Union have already pledged a total of 1.1 billion dollars (one billion euros) for the FIF. “I’m sure this is just the beginning,” said the minister. Because the pandemic is not over yet: In many countries, including Indonesia, the number of infections is increasing again.
“In addition, recent outbreaks of other diseases around the world underscore the importance and urgency of our work to be better prepared for future pandemics,” Indrawati said. As more pandemics are to be expected in the future, the whole world is watching the G20 countries and concrete measures to prevent the pandemic.
Only part of the solution
Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said money is only part of the solution to global health crises. “We need to turn that money into quick and equitable access to emergency medical response like vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.”
The deliberations began on Monday with a meeting of the G20 health ministers, which was also attended by the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He urgently warned against slacking off in the fight against the corona virus. Because of the global easing of measures, his authority is very concerned that “a lack of corona tests and sequencing blinds us to the development of the virus”.
At the end of October, the G20 health ministers will meet for further talks in Bali – shortly before the start of the G20 summit meeting of heads of state and government, which will take place on November 15th and 16th on the popular holiday island.
Source: Stern
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