Health Ministers' Meeting

07/10/2024

The G7 Health Ministers’ meeting will be held in Ancona on October 10 and 11. The Italian Minister of Health, Orazio Schillaci, will chair the meeting. Participants include the Ministers from G7 member states, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and Health Ministers from guest countries: Albania, Brazil, India, South Africa, and Saudi Arabia, along with representatives from international organisations such as FAO, WHO, and OECD.

The main topics of discussion will focus on three pillars:

• Global Health Architecture and Prevention, Preparedness, and Response to Pandemics;
• Healthy and Active Aging through Lifelong Prevention and Innovation;
• One Health approach, with particular emphasis on antimicrobial resistance.

The aim is to identify strategies that effectively address current crises and challenges that carry significant social and economic costs, while combating inequalities and promoting health as a fundamental value and strength of our societies.

Ministers will commit to improving health systems and ensuring equitable access to safe, accessible, and high-quality care and countermeasures, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This will be accomplished through enhanced coordination at national, regional, and global levels to ensure global health security and achieve universal health coverage.

The agenda will also address lifelong prevention starting from the prenatal phase through prevention strategies and promoting healthy lifestyles. Central to the two-day event is the need to adopt sustainable dietary models to combat obesity and chronic-degenerative diseases while simultaneously addressing malnutrition in developing countries. The Italian Presidency will also encourage the use of innovative solutions such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence, aimed at enhancing both quality of life and community services through a modern person-centred approach.

The debate will encompass the One Health approach, which recognises the interconnection between human health, animal health, and ecosystems, with the goal of limiting future health emergencies arising from climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. Ministers and international organisations will focus particularly on antimicrobial resistance and the importance of promoting the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics in both human and veterinary fields while also supporting research and development of new antibiotics and access to existing ones, especially in vulnerable contexts.

The G7 Health Ministers will conclude the meeting by signing a communiqué committing to addressing major health challenges to ensure a healthy life for all. Additionally, they will adopt a policy brief on the opportunities presented by artificial intelligence for both healthcare providers and patients. In November, an “Implementation Conference” on antimicrobial resistance will wrap up the agenda for the Italian G7 Health meetings.