Health ministers around the world pledged to enhance international collaboration to respond to a future pandemic by announcing the Seoul Declaration at the inaugural World Bio Summit (WBS) in Seoul, Wednesday.
Korea’s Health and Welfare Minister Cho Kyoo-hong and World Health Organization (WHO) Assistant Director General Dr. Mariângela Simão opened day two of the event at the Grand Walkerhill Hotel.
Minister Cho said the WBS 2022 aims to promote international cooperation to advance infectious diseases and facilitate measures for the development of vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics to ensure everyone’s equitable access to them.
“On behalf of the health ministries gathered here today who have agreed to develop the Seoul Declaration, I hereby proclaim the Seoul declaration adopted with the support of the WHO,” he said.
The declaration specifically calls for international cooperation in the following areas – global cooperation, human resource training, research and development, supply chain and regulatory improvement.
In accordance with the declaration, each country will build a network for global surveillance, research, and manufacturing, and such efforts will range from pathogen discovery to the end of the pandemic. They will also strengthen access to countermeasures in all regions by securing biotech experts.
Dr. Simão voiced WHO’s support of the declaration.
“The WHO as the co-organizer of the WBS 2022 welcomes the initiative of member states reflected in this declaration, commends the work undertaken so far and looks forward to further collaborations in this area.”
Simão added that the WHO is trying to create the future where access to universal health coverage is a reality, and individuals have access to the technologies when they need them without suffering hardships.
The declaration was preceded by congratulatory messages from other health ministers who came from Nigeria, Thailand, El Salvador, the U.S. and Germany.
The summit’s other sessions offered discussions over R&D investment strategies for vaccines and biologics, global diagnostic development trends and prospects, and global regulatory cooperation on vaccine and biologics.