Joint Statement of Deputy Ministers of Health and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of MIKTA Countries (08 September 2022)

We, Deputy Ministers of Health and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs of MIKTA Countries met virtually on 8 September 2022 under the Chairmanship of Türkiye to promote cooperation among MIKTA Countries on mitigating the impacts of the persistent COVID-19 pandemic and supporting recovery in its aftermath, and to continue contributing with our joint efforts to better prevent, detect and respond to future global health emergencies.

As MIKTA Countries, We;

1. Express our deepest condolences on the tragic loss of lives due to COVID-19, and extend our sympathies to those who are still suffering from or endangered by this crisis,

2. Recognize the crucial importance of international cooperation in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and affirm our commitment to fostering global cooperation in public health by putting forward trust, spirit of cooperation and solidarity,

3. Emphasize that an effective public health response to health emergencies, depends on resilient and responsive health systems and ensuring the delivery of quality essential health services require leadership and a whole-of-government approach as well as multisectoral engagement,

4. Acknowledge the need to further strengthen political commitment at the highest levels to support pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPR) beyond the current pandemic,

5. Reiterate the political commitment of MIKTA Countries to strengthen response capacity to COVID-19 pandemic,

6. Underscore the importance of collaboration between the Ministries of Health and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs for better pandemic PPR and international solidarity,

7. Commend national efforts towards full implementation of the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage to ensure all people have safe access to preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services and essential, safe, affordable, and effective medicines and vaccines without any discrimination,

8. Reaffirm that the adoption of a science and evidence-based, multi-hazard, gender responsive and whole-of-society approach to prevent, control, and reduce the risks of disasters and emergencies of any kind is central for effective preparedness and response,

9. Underline the importance of strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response and the role of World Health Organization as the central organization on international health matters, as well as other regional and national health actors, as appropriate, and in collaboration with all other relevant sectors,

10. Recognize the necessity to strengthen global public health response mechanisms in terms of PPR including further discussion to address technical and financial gaps,

11. Stress the need to find a common ground to address inequities and inequalities in access to lifesaving COVID-19 medical countermeasures,

12. Welcome the establishment of the Financial Intermediary Fund (FIF) for pandemic PPR under the G20 Indonesia Presidency, to address the current gaps in funding for pandemic PPR and to ensure the sustainability of its funding,

13. Recognize the need to improve equitable and timely access to medical countermeasures for future pandemics and other public health emergencies, particularly for Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs),

14. Underline the importance of ongoing discussions in the context of TRIPS flexibilities in order to increase and facilitate COVID-19 vaccine production,

15. Welcome the efforts to increase vaccine production and vaccine technology transfer including mRNA vaccines in low and middle-income countries,

16. Acknowledge the importance of addressing vaccine hesitancy, severe risks posed by misinformation and disinformation about the importance, safety and effectiveness of vaccines,

17. Recognize the potential contributions of our joint commitment as MIKTA States to establishing a new WHO Convention, Agreement or other International Instrument(WHO CAII) and strengthening International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR) core capacities and health systems for better response to health emergencies,

18. Call for continuing to contribute to regional and global solidarity, especially on research and development as well as access and distribution of medical countermeasures, in particular vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostic tools and Personal Protective Equipments and, as well as on R&D cooperation,

19. Commit to promote One Health approach to strengthen multiple benefits between the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems in pandemic PPR, by taking into account the ongoing global initiatives, such as “One Health Joint Plan of Action” developed by the Quadripartite, and the “G20 Lombok One Health Policy Brief” developed by G20 members,

20. Reaffirm our strong commitment to promote MIKTA Countries’ role in taking forward lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and contributions aiming at and strengthening the global health architecture,

21. Call to work towards reinforcing and reshaping the global health architecture and governance based on a shared vision aiming at addressing challenges and at strengthening health systems and partnership for global health emergencies preparedness and response capacities.