Health topics of the 2015 German G7 Presidency
On 19th November 2014, the Federal Cabinet adopted the programme for the German G7 presidency. The programme's main areas of emphasis at the level of the health ministers are those of: antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance as well as neglected and poverty-related diseases such as Ebola.
Antibiotics are one of the most important instruments for use in treating bacterial infections. Antibiotic resistance, however, is increasingly becoming a problem for public health systems worldwide. The increase in antibiotic resistance is making it more and more difficult to treat infectious diseases with existing drugs. When antibiotics no longer work, it means that, even now, simple infections that are easy to heal, such as a bladder infection, can cause serious damage to health. The use of antibiotics in livestock husbandry also facilitates the development of resistance among human beings. Antibiotic resistance is a global phenomenon. The spread of resistance is additionally promoted through the rise in trade and travel both locally and internationally.
Within the framework of the G7 Presidency, the topic of neglected and poverty-related diseases (Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTDs) is also to be addressed. Generally, this term includes diseases that often appear in developing countries and are the cause of major detrimental effects on the quality of life, or even death, and for which there are no, or no adequate, treatment possibilities. In this case, the term refers almost exclusively to infectious diseases.
In addition, the future commitment of the world community in managing the Ebola crisis in West Africa will be an important topic for discussion within the framework of the G7. The Federal Ministry of Health is making a targeted contribution toward containing the epidemic. Here you can find our Ebola information page.
At the end of January 2015 Germany will, moreover, be organising the GAVI Replenishment Conference (a vaccination initiative) for the period 2016 to 2020 and will be intensively soliciting assistance from the G7 partners to replenish this fund.
Subsequent to the G7 summits in Brussels on 4th and 5th June 2014, Germany assumed the G7 Presidency and will be hosting the Meeting of Heads of State and Government on 7th and 8th June 2015.