Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health held the first G20 Health Working Group (HWG) titled "Harmonizing Global Health Protocol Standards" in Yogyakarta on Monday as part of the G20 Presidency Sherpa Track series.

The hybrid meeting on March 28-30, 2022, has attendees comprising around 70 foreign delegates and 50 local delegates.

Head of the Communication and Public Services Bureau at the Ministry of Health, drg. Widyawati stated that the HWG 1 agenda will discuss one of the three priority issues in the health sector in the G20 Presidency: harmonization of global health protocol standards for travel between countries.

The HWG 2 agenda will discuss efforts to build global health resilience, while the HWG 3 agenda will discuss the construction of study and manufacturing centers for prevention, preparation, and response to future health crises.

"Alignment of health protocols between countries is needed to support inter-connectivity and connectivity of health information systems from various countries to facilitate international travel," Widyawati stated in a press release, Monday.

The HWG 1 meeting will be divided into six discussion sessions. The first session will discuss digital documentation of COVID-19 certificates, the second session will discuss harmonizing global health protocols, the third session will discuss harmonizing global health protocols, the fourth session will discuss sharing national experiences and best practices in implementing policy and mutual recognition, the fifth session will discuss harmonizing global health protocols, while the last session will become a follow up and concluding plenary session.

Widyawati noted that each session will present experts and speakers from various countries.

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"Through these various sessions, we hope that they would produce agreements that can encourage the implementation of harmonization of global health protocols. It is expected to secure mobility between countries and also accelerate recovery of the world economy," she remarked.

After the six sessions are completed, the HWG 1 agenda will be continued with the G20 Side Event for Tuberculosis on March 29-30, 2022.

Themed "TBC Management Financing: Overcoming COVID-19 Disruption and Building Future Pandemic Preparedness," this meeting becomes an important momentum to strengthen global commitments to end TB by 2030, especially commitments to increase funding for sustainable TB prevention and control, she said.

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Translator: Anita Permata D, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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