Turkish official calls for ‘transformation of global health architecture'

ISTANBUL (AA) – Addressing a G-20 panel, Türkiye's communications director called Tuesday for the "transformation of global health architecture" to serve all humanity.

“It is highly critical that the G-20 prioritizes the transformation of the global health architecture. This will increase the significance of the G-20’s function,” Fahrettin Altun said in a video message sent to a panel discussion titled “Health Diplomacy in the Post-Pandemic New World Order” as part of the G-20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia.

“As one of the greatest challenges of our time, the COVID-19 outbreak has inflicted serious damage, deepening inequalities in global health and economy,” Altun noted.

“Today, one of the most urgent problems confronting the entire world is achieving recovery and normalization in all areas hit by the global pandemic,” he said.

Noting that the world “experienced a period of increased global uncertainty accompanied by the COVID-19 outbreak,” Altun said “this shift has repercussions in a variety of fields, including health, trade, education and tourism.”

“This process, which is still ongoing, has an impact on a worldwide scale,” he said. “Since the entire world was unprepared for such an outbreak, we must all adopt a proactive stance in the face of any new crises.”

Pointing out that the G-20 represents over 85% of the global economy and 75% of global trade, Altun said the world’s largest economic forum also represents “two-thirds of the global population, (and) shoulders significant tasks and responsibilities.”

Altun also underlined that the challenges the world faced during the period of the pandemic “demonstrated the importance of solidarity and cooperation among states.”

Noting that Türkiye called from the very beginning for a common stance to combat the pandemic, Altun said: “With this understanding, Türkiye has always provided strong support to global efforts to combat the pandemic.”

“Whatever is required during the pandemic process -- from our local vaccine TURKOVAC, to masks, medical supplies and respirators -- we have provided for the benefit of our own citizens as well as delivered to the people of friendly and brotherly countries,” he said.