The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly has reaffirmed Ireland’s commitment to progressing the development of an international treaty aimed at strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposed agreement between World Health Organization member states was discussed at a meeting in Dublin between Ireland’s Health ministers and the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Executive Director for Emergencies, Dr Mike Ryan, and WHO Technical Officer, Dr Cindi Lewis.
The WHO team were in Ireland for talks on the pandemic convention and reform of International Health Regulations, Ireland’s experience with Universal Health Coverage, health workforce strengthening and sustainable financing of the work of the WHO into the future.
Minister Donnelly was joined at the meeting by Minister for Mental Health and Older People, Mary Butler, as well as Chief Medical Officer, Breda Smyth and Chief Nursing Officer, Rachel Kenna.
