Faisal Sheikh / DNA
ISLAMABAD: SEPT 8: Pakistan will be the first country in the world to host the Global Health Security Summit later this year. This was shared by Federal Secretary Health Iftikhar Shallwani while chairing a meeting to launch the preparations for the global moot on Thursday.
The meeting was attended by senior health officials, leading public health experts and representatives of partner agencies. The Prime Minister has accorded approval to holding the summit later this year which will bring together 500 participants including around 70 country delegates. Pakistan is the current chair of Global Health Security Agenda and hosting this conference will enable us to showcase our strong resolve and commitment to the cause of saving our people and the global community from the pandemics, said the Secretary Health while addressing the participants. We are a resilient nation and have together done formidably well in fighting the covid pandemic.
There is a great deal that Pakistan can contribute to the knowledge and experience of the global community in the fight against pandemics, he added. Pakistan has most recently faced the ravages of unprecedented floods and the resultant spread of disease, highlighting the urgent need to strengthen disease response and surveillance systems. The recent pandemic has shown that spread of infectious disease in any part of the world is a threat to the entire global community.
Therefore it is a shared responsibility, the meeting was told. The meeting agreed on the thematic areas to be discussed in the summit which will include several panel discussions. A number of committees were constituted by the Secretary Health to ensure the holding of the mega event in a befitting manner. The international moot will culminate in issuance of an Islamabad Declaration that would reflect the global commitment to fighting the spread of disease in unison and ensuring an optimal level of preparation through a stronger and resilient health infrastructure, shared Mr. Iftikhar Shallwani.
