Germany is committed to further strengthening the WHO. Because the WHO has a key role when it comes to overcoming global health crises. The crisis fund set up in 2015 (CFE, Contingency Fund for Emergencies) also serves this purpose. Germany, as the largest contributor, supports it with 13 million dollars. In addition, for the first time in 2017 there will be a separate contribution from the budget of the Federal Ministry of Health amounting to 35 million euros as a voluntary additional contribution to the WHO. In addition, the BMG provides support as part of the Global Health Program with experts in crisis situations on site and provides assistance in preventing outbreaks of disease.
Another topic at the G20 Health Ministers’ Conference was combating antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is one of the greatest threats to global health. They affect industrialized and developing countries alike. One of the most important measures are national action plans to combat antibiotic resistance, as also called for in the WHO Global Action Plan to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance. With the German Antibiotic Resistance Strategy (DART), Germany is playing a pioneering role and presented an interim report on the status of German efforts at the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting.
Since December 1, 2016, Germany has held the one-year presidency of the “G20”, the association of the 20 leading industrialized and emerging countries.