Chakwera calls for equitable healthcare

President Lazarus Chakwera has asked world leaders to ensure equitable healthcare across the globe to safeguard the global economy from health-related disruptions.

He said this on Tuesday in his address at the World Economic Forum Session on Investing in Health Equity in Davos, Switzerland.

In his speech made available to The Nation by State House press office, Chakwera said public health is the bedrock of economics as such any health-related disruptions have potential to interrupt economies as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Said Chakwera: “In practice, this means that investing in filling health systems gaps and inequities that the pandemic has exposed in developing nations like Malawi is an investment in the stability of the global economy.”

The President said initiatives aimed at investing in health systems should not miss out on their list of priorities towards developing nations.

Chakwera cited the Global Fund, which he described as critical in addressing health system gaps in Malawi.

While mentioning the Russia-Ukraine conflict as an example of geopolitical emergencies, he stressed the importance of dealing with emergency situations that have potential to compromise public health and in turn affect economies.

“We must deal with security emergencies without compromising investments in public health. The future of our economies depends on it,” said Chakwera.

The President is in Switzerland where he is attending the 2022 World Economic Forum, which has brought together decision-makers from across the globe.

During the opening session on Monday, Swiss President Ignazio Cassis outlined the impact that the Russia-Ukraine conflict has had on global economy.

He said there is need for concerted efforts from world leaders to devise an equitable economic recovery plan that is non-discriminatory.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a keynote address, urging delegates to develop practical solutions for the current economic hardships that have emanated from the ongoing war between his country and Russia.