Foreign ministers representing seven countries spanning four continents have issued a declaration of co-operation on global health issues, reports an Online Health Policy paper published Monday (April 2, 2007) by The Lancet.
Under their initiative on Global Health and Foreign Policy, the foreign ministers of Norway, Brazil, France, Indonesia, Senegal, South Africa and Thailand made their Oslo Ministerial Declaration after meeting in Norway’s capital on March 20.
The initiative underlines the importance of health as a foreign policy issue. Its main objective is to contribute to a stronger strategic focus on global health as part of the international agenda.
At the launch of the initiative ministers declared: "Life and health are our most precious assets. There is a growing awareness that investment in health is fundamental to economic growth and development.
They added: "We must encourage new ideas, seek and develop new partnerships and mechanisms, and create new paradigms of co-operation."
Disease and illness know no boundaries – and the foreign ministers have devised a ten point "Agenda for Action" to address common health threats and achieve goals through globalisation.
The seven-strong group also invite foreign ministers from all nations around the world to join them in addressing the global health challenges ahead.
Agenda for Action’s 10 points come under three umbrellas – "Capacity for Global Health Security"; "Facing Threats to Global Health Security" and "Making Globalisation Work for All."
They cover a wide range of health issues – from HIV/Aids and infectious disease control to response to conflict and natural disasters.
The role of health in combating poverty is addressed under the globalisation section, with the declaration stating: "Health is key to development and combating poverty. Hunger is a major cause of ill health. Structural causes of poverty and hunger are interwoven, and part of a nexus of policies where foreign policies also play an important part."
Journal
The Lancet