Bridging the Gap in Global Health: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Call to Action
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif issued a poignant call to the international community on Sunday, urging concerted efforts to narrow the growing chasm between the Global South and the Global North, identifying the pervasive health inequities worldwide as a paramount concern.
Addressing a session on global health at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Riyadh, Prime Minister Sharif highlighted the profound disparities laid bare by the Covid-19 pandemic, particularly accentuating the gaping divide in healthcare provision and vaccine distribution between affluent and impoverished nations.
Emphasizing the transformative impact of climate change on the global landscape, Prime Minister Sharif underscored Pakistan’s vulnerability to its consequences. Despite negligible contributions to global emissions, Pakistan faced catastrophic climate-induced floods in 2022, necessitating extensive infrastructure rehabilitation efforts that strained national resources.
Prime Minister Sharif poignantly questioned the feasibility of developing nations like Pakistan bearing the financial burden incurred by such calamities, often resorting to costly loans for reconstruction.
Underscoring the imperative for accessible healthcare facilities, Prime Minister Sharif stressed the urgent need for resources in countries like Pakistan. He called for concerted action to bridge the stark divide between the Global South and Global North in healthcare provision.
Drawing from personal experiences, Prime Minister Sharif lamented the exorbitant costs of treating fatal diseases like cancer, particularly for the impoverished segments of Pakistan’s population. He recounted his tenure as Chief Minister of Punjab, where he spearheaded initiatives to provide free healthcare to millions, including crucial screening and treatment programs for hepatitis in remote and underserved areas.
Highlighting Punjab’s pioneering efforts in healthcare, Prime Minister Sharif lauded the establishment of the region’s first kidney and liver hospital, offering free treatment to the indigent. He recounted Punjab’s successful containment of a widespread dengue outbreak in 2011, a testament to collective action and resourcefulness in the face of adversity.
Prime Minister Sharif extended gratitude to Saudi Arabia’s leadership, notably King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for their steadfast commitment to humanitarian endeavors in the healthcare sector. He also commended the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for its invaluable support in polio eradication efforts and relief during natural disasters.
Echoing Prime Minister Sharif’s sentiments, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus underscored the imperative of collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Ghebreyesus lamented persistently high maternal and child mortality rates in numerous countries, urging intensified efforts to bridge existing gaps in healthcare access.
Participants at the event echoed calls for greater investment in healthcare infrastructure and emphasized the responsibility of resource-rich nations to aid vulnerable communities in need. They underscored the urgent need for global solidarity and collaboration to confront the myriad challenges facing public health on a global scale.
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