Health, on the agenda for the G20 to tackle post-Covid recovery

In the current pandemic context, in which the healthcare systems are facing up to unprecedented challenges, it would be difficult to understand that the current Italian presidency of the G20, starting on the 1st of December, had not included health as a priority on the agenda of this organism that brings together the most important economies in the world. 

Taking on Germany’s legacy, which promoted the First Health Initiative at the heart of the Business 20 Group, known as B20 in 2017, the group of experts in Health and Social Sciences was established. Amongst others Dr. Carlos Zarco, General Manager of the Fundación Espriu will take part, representing the International Healthcare Cooperatives Organisation, of which he is also the chairman.

Since the financial crisis of 2007, the Heads of State and Governments from the G20 have met up on a yearly basis to tackle the main global challenges. At these summits, a process of meetings and debates on different subjects is developed, in which international companies and organisms also take part, aimed at preparing economic policy recommendations that are transmitted to the governments of the participating countries. This is the so-called B20, which is aimed at supporting the G20 through a consolidated representation of different interests and sectors, proposing recommendations and establishing a dialogue between the public and private sectors.

The Group of 20 is the international cooperation forum that brings together 19 countries (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, India, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, the  Korean Republic, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States), in addition to the European Union as an economic block. Spain, in spite of being amongst the 20 largest economies in the world is not an official member of the group, although it regularly participates as a permanent guest. Its members present 80% of the world GDP, 75% of the trade and 60% of the population. The last summit of the G-20 was held, virtually, in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). From the 21st to the 22nd of November, 2020, the member countries agreed at their meetings to provide the necessary funds to finance access by the poorest countries to Covid-19 vaccines.

The coronavirus crisis is unleashing a change of paradigm, in which health is a compulsory requirement for any development of society, both socially and economically. For this reason, the group of experts in health and life sciences of the B20 proposes analysing these future challenges and contributing to post-covid-19 recovery. 

To do this, they will debate how to speed up and support access to innovation and how to move towards healthcare that takes full advantage of the new technologies to improve access to healthcare, quality and clinical results, at the same time optimising healthcare expenditure.

The experts will also prepare recommendations to encourage the sustainability of the healthcare systems and the development of healthcare professionals. Another of the health group’s priorities will be to design new organisational formulas that promote public-private collaboration.