Test to Exit COVID-19: Engaging Women Political Leaders as Champions for Testing
(London, 17th June 2020)
Upcoming G20 Partnership Events
COVID-19 has set the scene for women leaders around the world to understand the importance of testing to contain the health, humanitarian, and economic fallout of the pandemic. Testing has enabled countries to re-open their economies, education systems, and public life.
Currently 90% of the impact of COVID-19 is felt in G20 societies and economies. It is evident that the current crisis will impact national economies for years to come. As the current global economic burden of $90 billion exceeds the costs posed to the global economy during the financial crisis in 2008, the political choices made by G20 and all world leaders in the coming weeks, in response to the COVID-19 are of historic proportions. According to the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board – an independent WHO body – the real number of infected people is estimated to be 20 times higher than outlined in statistics.
Yet, we are facing a global crisis on testing as there are not enough tests available to test populations in order to treat them against COVID-19. New, simple, affordable and high-performing tests are still needed.
The G20 Health and Development Partnership, Women Political Leaders and FIND bring together leading women in science, global health and politics as Champions for Testing. They highlight their experiences of successful testing in their communities and countries and why testing is the first line of defence against COVID-19 until a vaccine and a treatment become available.
Female political leaders from around the world have led by example, taking key decisions on a daily basis on how best to handle testing, which is today’s first line of defence against COVID-19. By taking informed decisions accounting for both health and economic considerations, these leaders have enabled their countries to re-open their economies, education systems and public life. Not to forget are female frontline workers and community practitioners who put their lives at risk to save our lives.
The G20 Health and Development Partnership, Women Political Leaders (WPL), and FIND, convenor of the global testing community, have joined forces to bring together women scientific, global health, and political leaders to help inform key decisions around testing to exit COVID-19.