G20 support for the Africa CDC's and WHO's appeals for collective action and closer collaboration.
We, G20 Finance and Health Ministers, are supportive of the calls from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for assistance to countries in responding to the Mpox outbreak, following its declaration as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on August 13, 2024, and as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024, respectively.
We, in close coordination with the Africa CDC and WHO, are committed to safeguarding the health and lives of African populations and to preventing the further spread of Mpox. We are particularly concerned about the heavy toll already taken by this outbreak, particularly on children (60% of cases) and people living with HIV/AIDS, who are experiencing the worst outcomes.
We recognize the importance of strengthening the global architecture for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) with the WHO as its central coordination body. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, G20 leadership through the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF) has been critical. It has allowed for enhanced coordination between Finance and Health Ministries for pandemic PPR and increasing financing to prevent and tackle health emergencies and strengthen national health systems.
We are convinced that G20 stewardship in international economic coordination, particularly in promoting collective action and assessing and addressing health emergencies with cross-border impact, can provide concrete actions to complement the core coordinating roles played by the WHO and Africa CDC in responding to this public health emergency. In this regard, the JFHTF can leverage the expertise and experience it has accumulated to contribute to the Mpox response.
As we are committed to promoting health equity, making the world safer and better prepared for health emergencies, especially through equitable access to medical countermeasures during pandemics, we task the JFHTF Secretariat to:
i. Support the WHO and the Africa CDC in their coordinated efforts, alongside governments in Africa, to respond to the Mpox outbreak.
ii. Support WHO and the World Bank to create and widely share a global Mpox response financing tracker;
iii. Assess the economic impact of countries most affected by Mpox through the application of the Framework for Health, Social and Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks to Pandemics (FEVR);
iv. Identify and actively share the findings of specific funding gaps and needs in the Mpox response by comparing needs estimated by the WHO and the Africa CDC with existing funding commitments; and
v. Outline the step-by-step actions needed to access existing financial resources.
As we are determined to support a clear coordinated international response, building on past experiences, we have decided to discuss Mpox response at the Joint Finance and Health Ministerial Meeting, on October 31st, in Rio de Janeiro, based on reports prepared by the JFHTF Secretariat.
