Ottawa/IBNS: Jean-Yves Duclos, Canada's Minister of Health met with G7 partners in Japan from May 13-14 to discuss important global health issues including pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, a news release

The health ministers discussed ways of achieving resilience, equitable and sustainable universal health coverage; and addressed health issues like antimicrobial resistance (AMR), dementia, healthy aging, and climate change.

At the meeting, Minister Duclos emphasized Canada’s continued commitment to global health and advocated for more collective attention to human health resources and mental health, as well as equitable sexual and reproductive health and rights.

During his time in Japan, During his visit to the Japan National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Minister Duclos met with the Chief of the Institute, Dr. WAKITA Takaji, who is also the Chair of Japan’s Coronavirus Policy Advisory Committee.

Both the ministers exchanged lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, discussed infectious disease surveillance and detection, and the bilateral cooperation between Canada and Japan.

Duclos also met with the President of the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, Dr. MISHIMA Yoshinao to learn about Japan’s efforts in pharmaceutical and medical devices innovation. and identified opportunities for research and technical collaboration between Canada and Japan on biomanufacturing.

Minister Duclos also visited the AMR Clinical Reference Centre in the National Center for Global Health and Medicine to learn about Japan’s efforts related to AMR surveillance and countermeasures, as well as to identify opportunities to strengthen global monitoring and surveillance systems.

An investment of $6.3 million was announced by Minister Duclos in support of global and domestic antimicrobial innovation to the Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X).

A joint session of the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting with G7 Finance Ministers was held on May 13 to discuss ways the G7 can collaborate effectively and efficiently with international organizations on funding for health emergencies.

During his productive meetings with his colleagues from Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Minister Duclos discussed important health priorities, strengthening the global health architecture for public health emergencies and contributing to achieving more resilient, equitable and sustainable universal health coverage. and bolster strong relationships with like minded partners.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)