– It’s a big risk, quite simply. Camilla Stoltenberg says so. She leads an expert committee, which has been tasked with giving the Norwegian authorities clear advice on how Norway can contribute to a fairer and more sustainable health effort in the decades to come. The Stoltenberg committee believes that people have already forgotten how wrong it was during the corona pandemic and how much worse it could have been. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB An article about future global health challenges was recently published in the journal The Lancet, which the committee has also used in its work. The researchers behind the article have calculated that there is a 23 percent chance that a pandemic, which will kill 25 million people, could occur in the next 10 years. – You should be so concerned that you focus more on preparing, says Stoltenberg. – Not been the “wake-up call” One of the experts who has been on the committee together with Camilla Stoltenberg is the one who was health minister during large parts of the corona pandemic, and current state administrator in Rogaland, Bent Høie. – In many ways, the corona pandemic has not been the “wake-up call” that we need when preparing the world for the next pandemic, which is very likely to come, says Høie. 12 March 2020. The first corona measures are presented. Health Minister Bent Høie averts a handshake between Prime Minister Erna Solberg and FHI director Camilla Stoltenberg. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB The committee, which has been named the Stoltenberg Committee, believes that Norway must take greater responsibility for contributing to global health security, which will also serve Norway. – The experience from the pandemic is that a pandemic is not something a country can isolate itself from. This means that a joint effort is needed. Then rich countries like Norway must invest more in common security, says Høie. Don’t want another shutdown – I can’t stand another shutdown. It was so boring to be at home. I would like to go to work, meet friends or go out on the town, says Sandra Sedeniussen. She is among those news meets at Majorstuen in Oslo who are worried that there will be another pandemic. Together with Sedeniussen is Peder Strada, who takes the problem in stride. Peder Strand and Sandra Sedeniussen are divided in their view of a new pandemic. – I’m not really that scared. I don’t need another round, but I’m not afraid of it, says Stranda. In order to reduce the damage in the event of a pandemic, the Stoltenberg Committee comes up with a number of recommendations. Among other things, Norway must increase the aid budget to more than one percent of gross national income. – We are concerned that Norwegian funding for global health, which benefits everyone, has leveled off in recent years, and now it is also threatening to decrease, says Stoltenberg. Long tradition Both Stoltenberg and Høie point out that Norway has a long tradition of being a central actor when it comes to issues of global health. – Norway should and must take back that role. It requires an extra effort, but it also requires taking a new direction, as well as Norway increasing its economic effort, says Høie. Airline passengers tested for corona in January 2021. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Among the rest of the recommendations from the committee, one finds, among other things, that Norway must work towards a global goal of halving early death by 2050, and that rich countries undertake to help the poor countries to achieve this. – There is still a large health inequality in the world, although there have been enormous improvements since the year 2000. – In Africa, south of the Sahara, 52 per cent experience early death, while in Western Europe and Canada it is 15 per cent. So to reduce health inequalities, you still have to make an effort, Stoltenberg points out. The Stoltenberg committee’s recommendations: 1) Renew Norway’s leadership in global health with the goal of halving premature death by 2050. 2) Invest more in global health – to reduce health inequality and increase our security. 3) Reduce health inequality by prioritizing effective measures and strengthening health systems. 4) Strengthen coordination and invest in effective measures that strengthen health security globally. 5) Reform the global health initiatives. 6) Maintain Norway’s efforts in emergency relief work. Unclear about increase Although Stoltenberg, Høie and the rest of the expert committee point out that Norway must spend more money on aid, it is not set in stone that the aid budget will be increased. – One of the most important things we can do now is to look at how we can use the money in the best possible way. In that field, I think we have received good recommendations, says Bjørg Sandkjær (Sp). State Secretary Bjørg Sandkjær (Sp) is happy with the advice in the report from the Stoltenberg committee. Photo: Anders Fehn / news She is state secretary to the Minister for Development in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – What we see and hear very clearly, both from developing countries, other donors and experts in the field. What is needed now is not more new initiatives, but better coordination to strengthen health systems, says Sandkjær. The aid budget is now in excess of NOK 57 billion, Sandkjær does not necessarily agree with the Stoltenberg committee’s claim that Norway must take more responsibility for global health. – I do not completely agree that we still do not have leadership roles. We have it, but I think it is interesting to look at the recommendations that say we can perhaps take a clearer leadership role. We will, of course, look carefully at that, she says. March 2020. Many shops experienced empty shop shelves in the time before the closure. However, both the government and the food industry were clear that there was sufficient food available. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Thinks aid is good for Norway For those who think that increasing financial aid to ensure global health sounds like money being sent out of the country, Høie believes that the recommendations from the committee will benefit Norway . – It is precisely the fact that it benefits us that is our point. Because we believe that it is important that Norway maintains its efforts to combat health inequality in the world. In other words, help the countries that are the poorest, in particular. – So that they get better health in their population. It is a joint responsibility, says Høie. Published 04.11.2024, at 06.57
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New report sounds the alarm about global pandemic preparations – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
