Brazil health minister highlights WHO role in fighting COVID-19

Brazil’s new Health Minister Nelson Teich took part on Sunday in his first international meeting with G20 countries, attended by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu.

Teich highlighted the role of the organization in the fight against the pandemic of the novel coronavirus and argued that member countries should seek quality health care coverage for all.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu also participated in the meeting with ministers of the G20, the bloc formed by the world’s 20 top economies.

Addressing his audience in English, Teich emphasized “the need for an integrated approach with other organizations,” but stated that “Brazil recognizes the role of the WHO.” The minister said the country is committed to joining efforts with other international agencies.

The pandemic, Teich added, is likely to cause permanent changes in health care systems across the world, and G20 countries should “fully commit to advancing health care coverage for all,” striving for effectiveness and services “focusing on the needs of the people.”

Brazil’s new Health Minister Nelson Teich – Ministério da Saúde

The health minister criticized fake news and said the spread of misinformation is a problem in the fight against the pandemic. He went on to mention the government aid sent to states and municipalities, noting that $2 billion in federal funds has been put towards the distribution of hospital supplies and equipment.

As in his inauguration address, Teich stressed the need for more  COVID-19 testing as a way to ascertain the reach of the pandemic and how to best deal with it. “We really need to understand what’s going on so that we can design policies and measures that will help us tackle this situation as quickly as possible,” he declared.

Earlier on, on his recently created Twitter account, the minister pledged to send 25 ventilators to states that “need them the most”—Ceará, Amazonas, and Pernambuco.

He pointed out that the items were produced in Brazil and that the government is ready to support the states and municipalities  combating the COVID-19 pandemic.