Thank you.
It is absolutely essential. Thank you to Canada for leading the way and demonstrating a willingness to invest in health systems. Often the Cinderella service doesn't get the investment. It's often not as attractive to donors and it's harder to measure, but it is absolutely critical.
To give an example to illustrate it right off the bat, we receive reports all the time from countries that they are having to divert resources from their current health systems in order to respond to the pandemic in a way that comes at the cost of other essential services. That's why we need to invest in these systems.
It's no surprise that the biggest indicator of a country's likelihood of having tackled the pandemic and achieved good vaccine coverage is the prior existence of a strong, well-funded, well-coordinated health care system. It's the number one way that we will end this pandemic and prevent the next one. I am concerned that in our pandemic preparedness and response debates and discussions around the world this year, investment in primary health care and in system strengthening still falls to the bottom of the political priority list. I hope that Canada will help make sure it doesn't.