The Telegraph: Experts urge G20 ministers to back rhetoric with resources and fully fund pandemic preparedness
“Promises to invest in pandemic preparedness to prevent a repeat of the current crisis are yet to be backed up with adequate resources, experts have warned, ahead of a meeting of G20 health and finance ministers this week. In a draft statement seen by The Telegraph and set to be published after a summit on Thursday, ministers concede that ‘major gaps still exist in global pandemic preparedness and response’ and commit to closing them. … The wording has been welcomed by commentators, who say it is the culmination of years of lobbying for governments to see health as a long-term investment, rather than an immediate cost. But there are concerns that action will fall short of the rhetoric and that the cycle of short-term thinking that has dominated approaches to global health challenges — from antimicrobial resistance to pandemic preparedness — will continue…” (Newey, 9/14).