Brazil’s Minister of Health and President of the Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access, Alexandre Padilha, also announced the accession of four international organizations to the Coalition: the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Medicines for Malaria Venture, the Medicines Patent Pool and the South Centre.
Canada formally expressed its interest in joining the Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access on Tuesday (19).
The Canadian government’s accession took place on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly, held this week in Geneva, Switzerland.
In a letter addressed to the Coalition’s Executive Secretariat, Canada’s Deputy Minister of Health, Shalene Curtis-Micallef, and the President of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Nancy Hamzawi, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to international cooperation aimed at expanding access to vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics and other health technologies.
The authorities also highlighted the importance of strengthening access for vulnerable populations and neglected diseases, in alignment with the principles of the Geneva Charter, the document that marked the creation of the initiative.
The letter was delivered by the two Canadian authorities to Brazil’s Minister of Health and President of the Global Coalition, Alexandre Padilha, and to the President of Fiocruz and Executive Secretary of the Coalition, Mario Moreira.
Canada also appointed representatives to join the Coalition’s Steering Committee, the body responsible for the initiative’s strategic decisions.
Canada’s accession strengthens the Coalition’s political and technical standing, given the country’s recognized capacity in biomedical research, innovation, health regulation and biopharmaceutical production, particularly following investments made to expand its response capacity for future pandemics.
Four international organizations join the Coalition
Padilha also announced the accession of four international organizations to the Coalition: the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), Medicines for Malaria Venture, the Medicines Patent Pool and the South Centre.
The announcement was made during an event organized by the Global Coalition on the sidelines of the World Health Assembly in Geneva, marking one year since the launch of the initiative.
The event brought together health authorities, heads of delegation, representatives of international organizations, manufacturers, academia, civil society and global health partners to discuss the progress achieved during the Coalition’s first year and its future priorities.
With these new accessions, the Coalition expands its international reach and now includes 28 participating organizations, bringing together strategic actors from the fields of innovation, research, financing, production and public health policy.
The Coalition’s Executive Secretary, Mario Moreira, highlighted that the initiative represents a strategic step forward for global health sovereignty.
“We need to overcome the logic in which some countries only produce while others remain dependent on health technologies. This discussion is about sovereignty, resilience and the right of each country to develop its own scientific, technological and productive capacities,” said Moreira.
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Dengue becomes the Coalition’s first priority focus
In March this year, during a high-level meeting of Coalition members, dengue was defined as the initiative’s first priority challenge.
Currently, nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of contracting the disease, with estimates ranging from 100 million to 400 million infections per year.
“Dengue, which historically affected tropical countries, is now present in more than 100 countries and across all continents. Climate change has expanded the conditions for disease transmission and reinforces the need to integrate arboviruses into the Belém Action Plan,” said Padilha.
Padilha also invited governments, research institutions, international organizations, funders and the private sector to participate in the Coalition’s first Call for Proposals, open until July 1.
“Global challenges require ambitious and coordinated responses. This call represents only the beginning of an international cooperation agenda focused on innovation, regional production and equitable access to health,” he concluded.
Learn how to access the Call for Proposals on dengue: https://globalcoalitionforlocalproduction.org/projects.
MEDIA CONTACT
Gustavo Barreto, Communications Officer
The Global Coalition for Local and Regional Production, Innovation and Equitable Access
gustavo.barreto@global-coalition.org
+55 21997440582 (WhatsApp)
https://globalcoalitionforlocalproduction.org
