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Statement by H.E. Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher,
Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations of the Holy
See,
at the High-level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response
20 September 2023
Mr. President,
The experience of the COVID-19 pandemic reminded all of us, once again, of our
frailty, of our fundamental interconnectedness and dependence on each other, as
well as of our responsibility towards the others. Indeed, as Pope Francis
recalled “a healthy society is one that takes care of everyone’s health.”[1]
During the pandemic, we witnessed much good will and dedication, at all levels
of Government and spheres of society. This is also true of the effort to swiftly
develop, produce, and distribute, diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines for
COVID-19. Yet, it remains concerning that the percentage of people in low-income
Countries who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine is about
half of the rate in high-income Countries.[2]
Putting global solidarity into practice requires prioritizing universal access
to health technologies, particularly for the most vulnerable.
During the pandemic, limited production capacity, combined with vast differences
in purchasing power, created disparities in access, which generosity alone could
not overcome. Resolving this for future pandemics requires a developmental
approach, reflecting the deep links between poverty and poor health. It also
requires capacity building in developing countries to promote local research,
innovation, production, and distribution. Beyond a “quick fix”, it is necessary
to ensure that an equitable response may be given in future pandemics.
Considering that durable solutions often take longer to achieve, we have no time
to waste.
Mr. President,
All trustworthy responses to health emergencies must respect human rights and
fundamental freedoms, including freedom of opinion, and expression, freedom of
conscience and freedom of religion or belief. They must include solidarity
mechanisms aimed at helping countries to provide medicines and adequate
health-care to their populations, while respecting their cultural sensibility
and sovereignty. Moreover, the sharing of scientific information and know-how at
international level is also critical. In this regard, it is worth repeating that
international organizations such as the World Health Organization have a
significant role to play in order to encourage and facilitate coordination and
cooperation, but that this also requires constantly to build trust with and
among the countries.
Mr. President,
As Pope Francis has stated, “the greatest lesson we learned from
Covid-19 was the realization that we all need one another [… and] that none of
us can be saved alone.”[3] Let us
hope that this remains the conviction which drives this meeting, and that may
inspire the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body and of the Working
Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations in Geneva. We never
emerge from a crisis unchanged; it is up to us to ensure that change is for
the better[4].
Thank you, Mr. President.
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