Thailand participated in the ministerial meeting of the COVID-19 Global Action Plan

Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, attended the virtual ministerial meeting of the Global Plan of Action (GAP) of COVID-19. Along with ministers from more than 20 countries and relevant international organizations, they were invited by Hiyashi Yoshimasa, Foreign Minister of Japan, and Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States.

This meeting held on July 19 is a continuation of the 1st and 2nd Global COVID-19 Summits held on September 22, 2021 and May 12, 2022, in which the Prime Minister participated, as well as the GAP senior officials meeting held on June 15, 2022.

The US intends to use the GAP initiative to keep the dialogue process dynamic among allies and international organizations involved in efforts to end the pandemic, and to strengthen the preparedness of health systems to face future buds.

On this occasion, Pramudwinai reiterated Thailand’s commitment to work with the international community to end the pandemic as soon as possible by implementing government and social measures to ensure comprehensive responses to the pandemic and reduce pressure on health systems that are at the limit of their capacity, and engage communities to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19, both physical and psychological.

The efforts of the international community strengthen the preparation of health systems to face future outbreaks

In addition, he made three suggestions as longer-term priorities for the international community. First, strengthen the preparedness capacity of health systems through the progressive realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), improving public health competence and the availability of health personnel in low- and middle-income countries.

Second, ensure sustainable and equitable access to medical countermeasures, focusing on increasing global medical countermeasures manufacturing capabilities in developing countries and strengthening supply chain resilience, which would help cope with an increase in national and global demand.

Finally, he suggested investing in the training and capacity building of health personnel in the country, in the region and globally, including through Thailand’s development cooperation with neighboring countries, on issues such as management and strengthening of health infrastructures for the prevention and control of specific diseases.

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Thailand is one of the countries invited to join the GAP movement, with global health partner countries and relevant international organizations, with the aim of ending the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and driving progress in preparing health systems for future outbreaks in a sustainable manner.

In this sense, Thailand has joined the Line of Efforts (LOE) 4, offering support to health workers under the GAP initiative.

The debate on the commitment to implement this initiative will continue at a high-level meeting that is expected to take place during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September.