G20 health ministers: COVID-19 pandemic highlights weaknesses in health systems

TASS, April 20. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted systemic weaknesses in health systems, the health ministers of G20 counties said in a statement following a virtual meeting hosted by Saudi Arabia. According to the statement, the ministers "emphasized that people's health and well-being are at the heart of all decisions taken to protect lives, tackle illness, strengthen global health security, and alleviate the socio-economic impacts resulting from COVID-19." "They also shared national experiences and adopted preventative measures to contain the pandemic," the statement said. The meeting's participants "recognized that the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted systemic weaknesses in health systems." "It also has shown vulnerabilities in the global community's ability to prevent and respond to pandemic threats. Ministers addressed the need to improve the effectiveness of global health systems by sharing knowledge and closing the gap in response capabilities and readiness," the document added. The health ministers also "echoed G20 Leaders' concern regarding the risks posed by the pandemic to developing and least developed countries, where health systems and economies may be less able to cope with the challenge." The participants "also addressed necessary actions to improve pandemic preparedness, the importance of utilizing digital solutions in current and future pandemics, the emphasis on patient safety and the importance of improving value in health systems as well as antimicrobial resistance." The G20 health ministers pointed out that they would take "further actions that may be required to contain the pandemic and will reconvene again as necessary." Coronavirus pandemic In late December 2019, Chinese officials notified the World Health Organization (WHO) about the outbreak of a previously unknown pneumonia in the city of Wuhan, in central China. Since then, cases of the novel coronavirus - named COVID-19 by the WHO - have been reported in every corner of the globe, including Russia. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic. Read more