PM calls for global cooperation to ensure health security

Islamabad: Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has called for greater international collaboration for global funding and frameworks to ensure world-wide health security.

Speaking at the inaugural session of two days Global Health Security Summit in Islamabad on Wednesday, he also urged the need for information sharing, joint research and collaborative strategies for an effective response during emergencies.

The Prime Minister said new diseases like Covid-19 pandemic and climate induced challenges such as historic floods of 2022 in Pakistan are affecting our citizens' health and causing social and economic impacts.

He emphasized the importance of integrating climate resilience into the health policies and systems.

Prime Minister also emphasized the need for establishing international standards for food safety to ensure the highest level of protection for population worldwide.

Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said no state in the world can meet the health challenges single-handedly.

He said similarly, internal challenges posed by population growth and rapid urbanization also cannot be dealt with by a country alone.

In his remarks, Minister for National Health Services Dr Nadeem Jan said Pakistan has been an ardent supporter of global health security.

He said this summit reflects our commitment and sensitivity to the health needs of everyone especially the downtrodden.

Addressing the Summit, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani said Pakistan supports amendment to International Health Regulations of 2005 and adopting a pandemic instrument that is based on principles of equity.

He said Pakistan continues to collaborate with international partners and the World Health Organization in shaping a resilient system through enhanced international cooperation. Jalil Abbas Jilani lauded organizing Global Health Security Summit, describing it a timely initiative as the international community is still recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

In his speech to the Summit, US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome thanked Pakistani leadership for its efforts to tackle one of the most significant challenges of global health security system. He said coordination with partners is the most effective way to address regional and global health threats.

Addressing the Summit, Head of Saudi delegation and Minister for Health Dr Hani Jokhdar stressed the need to keep global health security agenda as top priority for implementation of the public health policy.

Meanwhile, the heads of delegations from Afghanistan,  Kyrgyzstan, Turkiye and Tajikistan also spoke on the occasion.