The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has called for stronger and more coordinated financing mechanisms to support global pandemic preparedness and response.

Professor Pate made the call at a G20 High-Level Independent Panel session in New York, held on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly.

He stressed the need for financing mechanisms that can be quickly deployed to countries and regions when outbreaks occur.

The Minister highlighted the roles of the Global Fund, Gavi and the Pandemic Fund, urging better coordination of existing financing tools to provide countries with diagnostics, test kits, therapeutics and other medical countermeasures during health emergencies.

Also speaking at the session, the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, advocated sustainable financing to strengthen regional manufacturing capacity and build resilient global supply chains.