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G20 Health Ministers | G20 Finance Meetings
Road to the 2024 G20 Rio Summit

G20 Joint Finance and Health Ministerial Meeting: Chair's Statement

October 31, 2024, Rio de Janeiro
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1. The Brazilian Presidency hosted the G20 Finance and Health Ministerial Meeting (JFHMM) on October 31st, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, attended by Finance Ministers virtually and Health Ministers in person. They discussed the progress made by the Joint Finance and Health Task Force (JFHTF) in fostering coordination between Finance and Health Ministries and scaling up investments in both health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR) to pandemics, including the Mpox response.

2. Under the Brazilian Presidency of the G20, and its overarching priority of addressing social inclusion and the fight against hunger and poverty, Ministers underscored the need to enhance investments in health systems to bolster resilience, safeguard the global economy, and mitigate disruptions, particularly in anticipation of future pandemics. As a contribution towards this goal, the JFHTF worked around three priorities in 2024: (i) unpacking the centrality of financing initiatives designed to tackle the social determinants of health; (ii) increasing resource mobilization to the health sector through assessing “debt-for-health” (DfH) swap arrangements; and (iii) improving the assessment of global health, and social and economic vulnerabilities.

3. Ministers welcomed the introduction of discussions on social determinants of health (SDH), noting that the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age impact health and well-being across the life course, from childhood and adolescence into adult life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social risks, such as food insecurity and housing instability, contributed to significant disparities in the pandemic’s impacts and exacerbated existing inequalities. In this regard, addressing SDH can help mitigate these vulnerabilities and improve pandemic outcomes.

4. Ministers were mindful of the challenging budget constraints many countries face, which limit the resources available for health programs. In this context, they appreciated the discussion of the potential, challenges, and strategic value of DfH swap arrangements as one of the different financial tools, that can allow governments to improve public health systems, increase access to essential medical services, and uphold the right to health enshrined in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights and global covenants.

5. Ministers were determined to continue building on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and improve our policy measures to address future pandemics. To that effect, Ministers welcomed the discussions that led to the release of the Global Report on the Framework for Health, Social, and Economic Vulnerabilities and Risks (FEVR) related to pandemics, including the inclusion of the SDH indicators, as well as the progress made in developing the first draft of the Operational Playbook for Pandemic Response Financing. These technical tools are designed to support governments and various finance and health stakeholders in considering their roles to enhance the speed, scale, and coordination of financing for future pandemic responses. Ministers looked forward to the continued efforts of the JFHTF in advancing these initiatives.

6. Ministers were supportive of the calls from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for assistance to countries in responding to the Mpox outbreak, following its declaration as a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS) on August 13, 2024, and as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024, respectively. Recalling the G20 Joint Statement on Mpox Response of September 27, 2024, Ministers acknowledged the quality and the speed of the work carried out by the JFHTF.

7. In close coordination with the Africa CDC and WHO, Ministers were committed to safeguarding the health and lives of African populations and to preventing the further spread of Mpox. To that effect, Ministers welcomed the Global Mpox Response Financing Tracker as a tool to identify financing gaps and facilitate the efficient deployment of resources in line with national and continental response plans. Ministers appreciated that several initiatives and new and innovative tools developed by Global Health Institutions, the World Bank, and the WHO, building on the lessons of COVID-19, have been deployed as part of the international response.

8. Ministers also took note of the economic assessment impact of Mpox, which, through the application of the FEVR, has identified low health system resilience, high out-of-pocket health spending, and limited social protection as some of the challenges faced by some African countries while battling this public health emergency.

9. Ministers also underscored the importance of facilitating access to existing financial resources for the Mpox response. While they appreciated the pledges made by international partners and welcomed the identification of priority actions and key external financing sources for Mpox-affected countries through the use of the Operational Playbook, they urged for a transition to concrete commitments and disbursements. Ministers also called for improved partner coordination to enhance alignment with government response plans and prioritize the use of available resources.

10. Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the WHO, the World Bank Group, the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the Rockefeller Foundation, as well as the JFHTF Secretariat, for their invaluable technical contributions in support of the work of JFHTF in 2024. They also expressed their appreciation to the WHO for hosting and supporting the JFHTF Secretariat. Ministers also welcomed the participation and cooperation of the Africa CDC.

11. Ministers acknowledged the vital importance of further strengthening the global health architecture, recognized the WHO’s central role in coordinating efforts at the core of this system, and committed to successfully concluding negotiations on a pandemic agreement. The role of Africa CDC in strengthening continental and regional health security was equally acknowledged. Ministers also emphasized the need to ensure adequate, predictable, transparent, and sustainable financing for an effective and accountable WHO to fulfill its mandate. They also welcomed the Pandemic Fund’s important contribution to PPR and encouraged further contributions to the Fund from a diversified donor base.

12. Ministers warmly welcomed the upcoming G20 Presidency of South Africa, particularly considering the African Union’s recent accession as a permanent member, and look forward to continuing the work of the JFHTF and reconvening in 2025.

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Source: Official website of Brazil's 2024 G20 presidency