The meeting of G20 health ministers on Monday approved the 'Pact of Rome' and pledged to make sure the population of the whole world has access to COVID-19 vaccines.
"The Pact of Rome was unanimously approved by all of the G20 countries," Italian Health Minister Roberto Speranza told a news conference at the end of the two-day meeting in Rome.
"Together it was decided to make a commitment to reinforce the health systems.
"The first point in investment in health systems.
"We want to defend the universal framework - you have the right to be treated regardless of your class or race".
He said that the world's largest economies had made a commitment to "take the (COVID-19) vaccines to the most fragile countries".
"We want to build the conditions to make it possible for production to other parts of the world," he added.
Speranza called for the adoption of a 'one-health' approach.
"We want to invest in the One Health approach, looking at human beings, animals and the environment as a single ecosystem to respond to the health emergencies of today and tomorrow," Speranza said.
European Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides, meanwhile, described antibiotic resistance as a "silent pandemic" and said the issue should be included in an international agreement on preparation for, and responses to, pandemics.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
