The Lancet: Offline: The G20 and health — platitudes and broken promises
Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet

“…The 15-page final Declaration from G20 leaders was full of platitudes. … Global health appeared on page eight. The G20 recognized that their nations had a ‘crucial role’ in pandemic preparedness. They agreed that strong health systems are important. They called on the U.N. to keep global health a priority. They stressed the need for cooperative action. The value of the health workforce. The importance of the International Health Regulations. Polio eradication got a mention. Migration too. … They advocated more money for WHO’s work. They called for national action plans to tackle antimicrobial resistance. And they suggested a new International Research and Development Collaboration Hub for product development. But these warm words were missing one thing — concrete and specific actions. The G20 is a growing threat to global health. … Their first and only concern is economic growth. For the first time, a G20 Presidency had placed global health at the center of the group’s discussions. What an opportunity. They flunked it” (7/15).