Health and Medical Care
Courtesy Call on State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. SUZUKI Takako, by Dr. Tenu Avafia, Deputy Executive Director, Unitaid
July 26, 2022
On July 25, commencing at 4:10 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, Ms. SUZUKI Takako, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, received a courtesy visit by Dr. Tenu Avafia, Deputy Executive Director, Unitaid. The overview is as follows.
- State Minister Suzuki stated that Unitaid's activities to rapidly deploy health innovations and technologies on the ground to achieve equitable access to health products in low and middle-income countries are important in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
- Dr. Avafia expressed his sincere gratitude for the continuous contribution from Japan to Unitaid. He then explained Unitaid's activities, including the introduction of quality and affordable health products in low and middle-income countries, recent Unitaid’s COVID-19 response, and the new Strategy for the next five years (2023 - 2027). He also expressed his expectations for Japan’s further support for Unitaid. State Minister Suzuki voiced expectations that Unitaid would further strengthen its collaboration and cooperation with Japanese companies possessing excellent technology as well as with the Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund, a Japan-based initiative. State Minister Suzuki also stated that broader acknowledgment in Japan of Unitaid's significant contribution, through this Deputy Executive Director’s visit and a TICAD 8 side-event next month, is expected to be an important foundation for further cooperation with Japan.
- Both sides reaffirmed to continue close cooperation between Japan and Unitaid to achieve SDGs including achievement of UHC, taking into consideration Japan’s presidency of the G7 Summit and the United Nations High-Level Meeting on UHC, which are both to be held next year.