Fearne’s speech at the 75th World Health Assembly

May 23, Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly, Geneva, Switzerland, deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne spoke about the Covid pandemic, the situation in Ukraine, Climate change and other threats.

Fearne started his speech by thanking Tedros and other WHO officials.

“Malta aligns itself with the statement delivered by France on behalf of the European Union and its member states.

The covid pandemic is highlighted that the most successful outcomes at regional and subregional level have been dependent on timely and robust collaboration and coordination between countries and networks.

To ensure a more appropriate global response to future global health threats it is imperative that this is maximized with similar collaboration also taking place across the wider regions and between WHO regions.

The prevalent practice of regional offices working to a large extent in silos is potentially missing opportunities to collaborate on a wider inter-regional scale. To learn best practices from each other and to be able to address global challenges on a global rather than merely on a regional level.

Indeed we would all benefit if regional officers strove to work better together. At the level of the European Union the relative success in management of the Covid pandemic has partly been the result of joint negotiation and joint procurement of the vaccine. This ensured timely and Europe-wide availability of the Covid vaccine. The success of this joint procurement which necessitated price transparency as the first essential step in the negotiations of fair prices for all, the success of the joint procurement can and should be replicated widely to improve universal and sustainable access to cancer treatments, orphan drugs, anti-microbial, and other therapies.

As the world slowly recovers from Covid and returns our attention to other priority areas, we can no longer ignore the growing threats presented by antimicrobial resistance and climate change. Malta continues to actively support the one health global leaders group and the quadripartite organisation and reiterates calls for global coordination against AMR and against climate change using a one health approach.

As health ministers, we are uniquely positioned not only to advocate for national and collaborative action and to keep these key issues high on our national agendas but we must be leaders in these fields. WHO as our unique mother organisation, will do well to continue to prioritize and to lead on AMR and climate change. Malta supports WHO in immediate response to the war by Russia on the Ukraine. As citizens of the world especially as medical leaders we cannot but be horrified at the loss of life and deteriorating humanitarian situations in this and other wars and conflicts around the world. Our mandate as a health organisation must remain that of ensuring health and therefore peace for all.

Malta also notes with growing concern the threat to global food security with its potentially devastating effect on millions of lives around the world. That the war coupled with climate change is bringing about. We ask that the WHO takes the issue of food security as a priority and pushes for solutions with its sister UN organisation.

Finally, Madame chair, Malta recognises the need for sustainable financing towards a more efficient organisation as outlined in the report of the working group and supports the proposal of a 50% gradual increase in assessed contributions.

Malta expresses its appreciation and support WHO and thanks directly General Tedros for his leadership in these challenging times.” Concluded Fearne.

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Watch Dr. Fearne speech – World Health Assembly -Third plenary session –Time 2:51:51