Minister Of Health Budi Gunadi: Pandemic Fund 1.4 Billion US Dollars Becomes The Land Of Global Health Architecture

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the commitment of the pandemic fund or Pandemic Fund collected worth US$1.4 billion is the basis for strengthening the global health architecture.

"The pandemic fund is a major advance from the G20 priority in the health sector this year," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin when opening the Joint Finance Health Ministers Meeting (JFHMM) agenda in Nusa Dua, Bali, quoted from Antara, Saturday 12 November.

The pandemic funds that were collected as of August 24, 2022, amounted to USD 1.4 billion from 15 G20 countries and three philanthropic institutions.

These countries and institutions include the European Commission (European Commission), the United States, Italy, Indonesia, China, Japan, Germany, Canada, the Republic of Korea, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Spain, Australia, Singapore, Norway, and New Zealand.

Meanwhile, the three philanthropy that contributed to the Pandemic Fund included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Rockerfeller, and Wellcome Trust.

Meanwhile, there are five other countries that have expressed their intention to contribute to the Pandemic Fund in 2023, including the UK, South Africa, India, France, as well as additional commitments from Germany.

Budi said the G20 in the health sector also formalized the Global Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT) Cooperation Agency to integrate collaborations of various related parties for distribution of diagnostics, medicines and vaccines.

According to Budi, the World Health Organization (WHO) unites all agencies involved, such as Unicef, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, GAVI, Global Fund, into the ACT Forum.

"ACT is to increase access to pandemic medical countermeasures as well as pave the way for increased genomic scrutiny sharing globally, monitoring international travel through an inoperable health certificate system; and mapping out vaccine research and manufacturing networks, therapy and diagnostics," he said.

Budi advised that the Pandemic Fund be used as well as possible to create a world that is more resilient and resilient to the pandemic.

During the meeting, a number of finance ministers and health ministers of G20 members attended in person and online.

Among them are Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia Sri Mulyani, Minister of Finance of the United States Janet Yellen, Minister of Finance of South Africa Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance of Russia Anton Siluanov, Minister of Finance of Saudi Arabia Mohammed Aljadaan, Minister of Finance of Australia Jim Chalmers, and Deputy Minister of China Dongwei Wan.

In addition to discussing the Pandemic Fund, a summit between the finance minister and the G20 health minister discussed the sustainability of the G20 Financial and Health Sector Work Unit, including plans to extend its tenure and targets that must be achieved by 2023.