Park Neung-hoo Shares COVID-19 Response Experience at G20 Health Ministers' Meeting

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 20th that Minister Park Neung-hoo (1st Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for COVID-19) shared the South Korean government's experience in responding to COVID-19 and called for joint action among countries and international organizations, while emphasizing international cooperation to enhance the value of health systems at the 4th G20 Health Ministers' Meeting held via video conference.

The G20 Health Ministers' Meeting was originally scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from the 19th to the 20th, but considering the changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was held as a one-day video conference on the previous day.

At this meeting, representatives from G20 countries, invited countries, and international organizations attended to discuss ▲ COVID-19 response and pandemic preparedness ▲ value-based healthcare ▲ digital health ▲ patient safety ▲ antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, following the directive from the G20 Special Virtual Leaders' Summit held on the 26th of last month for health ministers to prepare measures for COVID-19 response, this was also discussed at the Health Ministers' Meeting.

Minister Park introduced the characteristics and current status of South Korea's COVID-19 response system, emphasizing the importance of sharing related experiences and continuous international cooperation. He stated, "I hope that the best practices and action measures jointly presented by the G20 will provide practical help to many countries currently struggling with COVID-19."

Minister Park also stressed, "Cooperation for the development of therapeutics and vaccines and humanitarian support for countries facing difficulties despite the global economic challenges must continue." He mentioned the South Korean government's multifaceted efforts to develop vaccines, expand exports of diagnostic tools, and explore humanitarian cooperation measures, expressing hope that "G20 will concretize additional cooperation such as strengthening quarantine capabilities, training experts, and sharing technology."

Meanwhile, South Korea announced its intention to participate in the ‘G20 Value-Based Healthcare Global Innovation Hub’ proposed by the chair country Saudi Arabia to contribute to discussions on enhancing the value of health systems. After the meeting, Minister Park said, "I hope the G20 will use this opportunity to demonstrate joint response capabilities in this crisis and further strengthen cooperation."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.