Miñones shares the priorities of the Presidency of the Council of the EU at the 76th World Health Assembly

The Minister for Health, José Miñones, held a series of meeting on Monday, in the framework of the 76th World Health Assembly, during which he shared some of the priorities of the Spanish Government's health agenda for the upcoming Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

These priorities include work towards building a European Health Union, improving conditions for the most vulnerable populations, new preparedness and response tools for current and future health emergencies and the development of new EU initiatives aligned with the SDG3 and the 'One Health' approach.

Miñones first held a meeting with the Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in which they exchanged views on the global health architecture and the necessary leadership of the WHO, following the declaration of the end of the international health emergency on 5 May.

In this regard, they discussed international health regulations and the International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. The Minister for Health also shared with Dr. Tedros the progress made by Spain in the field of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, with the recent authorisation by the European Commission of the marketing of the Spanish vaccine Bimervax by Hipra and the donation of 70 million doses through the COVAX mechanism.

Among other matters, José Miñones and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also discussed current cooperation with the WHO on donation and transplants, via the ONT, and possible lines of collaboration during the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The Minister for Health also held meetings with UNAIDS Deputy Directors General, Angeli Achrekar and Christine Stegling, the Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, and the Ministers for Health of Norway, Ingvild Kjerkol, Argentina, Carla Vizzotti, Brazil, Nísia Veronica Trincade Lima and Morocco, Khalid Aït Taleb.

José Miñones shared with the UNAIDS Deputy Directors General the work being carried out in Spain to achieve the common goals of ending HIV as a public health problem by 2030, as well as to meet the 95-95-95 intermediate targets and achieve 0% associated stigma.

In this context, he invited UNAIDS to participate in the High Level Meeting (HLM) on HIV/AIDS to be hosted by the city of Seville in September as part of the agenda of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

In the same vein, Miñones discussed current relations with Spain with the Executive Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Peter Sands.

In addition to Spain's economic contribution, Miñones underscored the importance of the creation of the new Division of HIV, STIs, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis within the Ministry of Health and the inclusion of improved monitoring of sensitive and resident forms of tuberculosis, maximising integration in networks such as the Antimicrobial Resistance Plan, and the incorporation of drugs for resistant tuberculosis into the NHS service portfolio.

Finally, José Miñones held a bilateral meeting on donation and transplants and Mental Health with his Argentinian counterpart, Carla Vizzotti; he also studied the current lines of collaboration and new synergies in Digital Health with his Brazilian counterpart, Nísia Veronica Trindade Lima and the Moroccan Minister for Health, Khalid Aït Taleb, who made an institutional visit to the Carlos III Health Institute last August and spoke with the minister about the improvements promoted to improve the professional capacity of the NHS.

The Minister for Health also discussed with the Norwegian Minister for Health, Ingvild Kjerkol, some of Spain's health priorities during the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of the year, and the role of the Health Emergency Response and Preparedness Authority (HERA), among other issues.

Non official translation