Indonesia Calls for Strengthening of Global Health Resilience System

President Joko Widodo attends Global COVID-19 Summit which was held virtually, from the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java province, Wednesday (22/9). (Photo: BPMI/Lukas)

The global health resilience system must be strengthened as the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the fragility of global health resilience, both in developing and developed countries, according to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

“We must develop a new mechanism for increasing global health resources, including for the financing of world health emergencies, which, among others, are used to purchase vaccines, drugs and medical equipment,” the President said at the Global COVID-19 Summit which was held through video streaming from Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java province, Wednesday (22/9).

According to the President, global health protocol standards must also be immediately set so that all countries can follow it with the standards including among others regulating cross-border travel.

The President also called for measures to empower developing countries in order to be part of the solution.

Local manufacturing capacity, he added, must also be built so that the need for vaccines, medicines, and medical equipment can be available quickly and evenly throughout the world.

“Indonesia is committed to becoming part of the global supply chain,” he said.

Regarding vaccines, President Jokowi reiterated that vaccine inequality between countries must be addressed immediately and through the Covax Facility, dose-sharing cooperation and equitable access to vaccines must be increased.

The Head of State also called for an to politicization and nationalism of vaccines. According to him, solidarity and cooperation are the key so the world can quickly recover from the pandemic together.

“As President of the G20 next year, Indonesia will contribute to the global efforts to strengthen the architecture of global health resilience for the sake of our children and grandchildren in the future,” he said.

For the record, the high-level world meeting on the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic was initiated by President of the United States Joe Biden.

This is the second meeting initiated by President Biden after the Meeting of the Major Economic Forum (MEF) on 17 September 2021. (BPMI/UN) (EST/EP)