Having a joint commitment to combat antimicrobial resistance signifies a unified effort to address this pressing global health threat. PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK
During the recent conference of the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU) Global Health Partnership, it was evident that both continents are dedicated to promoting fair access to healthcare, strengthening health security and advancing global health.
The EU-AU Global Health Partnership priorities are closely aligned with the EU's Global Health Strategy and the New Public Health Order for Africa across several key domains. Both initiatives underscore the importance of strengthening healthcare systems to improve delivery, enhance health security, and foster resilience during health crises.
They also emphasised the significance of pandemic prevention and response, which reflected the EU's strategy of prioritising preparedness and global health security through early detection and swift responses.
This significant event, which was held at the Egmont Palace in Brussels, was made possible through the sponsorship of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, currently held by Belgium, along with support from the European Commission, the AU Commission, and the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
The conference underscored the critical role of regulatory frameworks and policy implementation in strengthening global health security and ensuring equitable access to health products and services.
It emphasised the necessity for joint AU-EU actions to support initiatives such as the African Medicines Regulatory Harmonisation Program and the African Medicines Agency, which aim to enhance regulation in Africa to guarantee the safety and efficacy of health products.
It also advocated for creating sustainable demand for locally produced health products that meet international standards and public health needs, supporting local manufacturing as crucial for public health and health security. Collaboration between the AU and EU in establishing resilient procurement and supply chain systems was highlighted to support primary health care and emergency response efforts.
It is worth noting how it fortified the partnership between the EU and AU in the realm of global health, aligning it with the EU's recently established Global Health Strategy and the New Public Health Order for Africa. Key aims included reinforcing health systems, enhancing pandemic prevention and response measures, tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), promoting the digitalisation of healthcare, advocating for universal health coverage, and bolstering global health security through collaboration.
Through ties and shared objectives, the conference has laid down a comprehensive framework for strengthening health systems, addressing pressing challenges such as pandemic prevention and AMR and fostering innovation through the digital transformation of healthcare.
Additionally, the EU-AU Global Health Partnership Conference sought to demonstrate how a shared commitment to finalise negotiations on a pandemic agreement can be crucial for effectively managing global health crises.
It also reaffirms the partnership's dedication to advancing global health, bolstering health security, and ensuring equitable access to healthcare through collaborative efforts spanning Europe and Africa.
For example, having a joint commitment to combat antimicrobial resistance signifies a unified effort to address this pressing global health threat by advocating for responsible antibiotic usage. The emphasis on promoting universal health coverage echoes the EU's mission to ensure equitable access to healthcare, aiming to enhance health equity and outcomes for populations across Europe and Africa.
The One Health approach serves as a cornerstone of the EU-AU Global Health Partnership's endeavours, and it will enhance health security and combat AMR. By acknowledging the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, the partnership seeks to address health challenges comprehensively.
This approach enables a holistic understanding of disease emergence and spread, facilitating, identifying and mitigating health risks at the human-animal-environment interface, particularly in preventing zoonotic diseases.
In the fight against AMR, the One Health perspective facilitates the development of strategies promoting responsible antimicrobial use, surveillance of AMR trends, and collaboration between health, agriculture, and environmental sectors to effectively address AMR.
To strengthen the health technology capacities of African nations and health agencies, participants emphasised the significance of technology transfer from Europe. It emphasised the necessity of concerted efforts to convert policies into concrete measures.
We must uphold the spirit of solidarity and cooperation embodied in this partnership, ensuring that our collective efforts meaningfully impact global health for generations.
The writer is Kenya’s Ambassador to Belgium, Mission to the European Union, Organization of African Caribbean and Pacific States and World Customs Organisation. The article is written at a personal level.
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