Canada meets with international partners at the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting and 75th World Health Assembly

From: Health Canada

News release

May 18, 2022            Ottawa, Ontario           Health Canada/Public Health Agency of Canada

Canada has always been an advocate of international collaboration, and this holds true when it comes to addressing global health challenges. This is why Canada is participating in the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting in Berlin and the 75th World Health Assembly in Geneva.

Today, the Minister of Health, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, arrives in Berlin for the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting where the G7 partners will work jointly on global health issues. They will discuss key priorities such as pandemic prevention, preparedness and response; addressing antimicrobial resistance; tackling challenges stemming from the relationship between climate change and health; and strengthening sustainable global health financing.

This year, for the first time, the G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting will have a joint working session with the G7 Development Ministers’ Meeting and a subsequent session with the G7 Finance Ministers’ Meeting. They will discuss how accelerating equitable and sustainable access to safe and quality-assured vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics, as well as strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness and response in developing countries will support an inclusive sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister Duclos will also attend bilateral meetings with his counterparts to discuss these issues, as well as the health impacts and response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. G7 countries stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine, including the health workers who must be protected.

Minister Duclos will then travel to Geneva from May 22-24 for the 75th World Health Assembly. He will deliver Canada’s plenary statement highlighting our continued commitment to international and multilateral engagement to protect the health and safety of Canadians. Minister Duclos will underscore the importance of working together on recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for future health threats. He will also speak to the importance of health equity and the need for prevention and health promotion initiatives more broadly. 

Canada is committed to collaborate with international partners to advance the health and safety of people in Canada and around the world.

Quotes

"COVID-19 has had unprecedented social, economic, and health impacts in Canada, and around the world. Canada will continue to work closely with its international partners, through the G7 and as part of the WHO, to help countries access health interventions against COVID-19, including vaccines, therapeutics and strengthened health systems. Through strong partnerships, we will continue to make sure that the health of Canadians, and everyone around the globe, remains a top priority during the pandemic and beyond."

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health 

Quick facts

  • The Group of Seven (G7) is an informal forum of seven leading industrial nations and democracies, which includes Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and the European Union. The Presidency rotates between members on an annual basis. Germany took over the Presidency in 2022 from the UK (2021) and will be succeeded by Japan (2023).

  • The World Health Assembly (WHA) is held annually and is the highest decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO), with participation by delegations from all 194 WHO Member States. The WHA determines the policies of the WHO, appoints the Director-General, supervises financial policies, and reviews and approves the proposed program budget. 

  • Canada has been a member of the World Health Organization since its inception in 1948.

Associated links

Contacts

Marie-France Proulx
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Media Relations
Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

Public Inquiries:

613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709

Page details

Date modified: