​South Africa has advocated for concrete, actionable strategies to operationalise vaccine equity as a core pillar of global pandemic readiness during the G20 Health Working Group meeting. 
This was part of the discussions between 10 to 13 June which saw global health leaders, experts and policymakers converge in South Africa's as part of the G20 Health Working Group. Discussions centred around five priorities areas under the theme: "Accelerate Health Equity, Solidarity, and Universal Access". 
These priorities include pandemic prevention preparedness and response, accelerating Universal Health Care approach, strengthening human resources for health, stemming the tide of non-communicable diseases, and science and innovation for health and economic growth. 
During his welcoming address, the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi called upon G20 members and the global community to prioritise the finalisation of the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) Annex, an innovative mechanism which will require pharmaceutical manufacturers to contribute 20% of their production during pandemic emergencies in return for access to pathogen data.
"We now call upon the elevated political will of all G20 members and our global partners to overcome the entrenched commercial interests and diplomatic hurdles that stand in our way.
"Finalising a robust and equitable PABS Annex is the ultimate litmus test of our collective commitment. It is the essential next step to transform the Pandemic Agreement from a document of principles into a functional, life-saving tool for justice and our shared global health security," said the Minister. 
The PABS Annex was triggered by the adoption of the Pandemic Agreement which came to the fore at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva about a month ago. The agreement is a crucial step towards rectifying the imbalances in access to life-saving pandemic products that were exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.  
In addition, Gauteng MEC for Health and Wellness, Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko said that pandemic preparedness is not just a health issue but has now become a critical pillar of global security and justice. The MEC was welcoming the global leaders to Gauteng. 
"History will judge us harshly if we simply become a world that can innovate at unprecedented speed but still fail the most fundamental test – that of ensuring that we deliver that innovation to the vulnerable. 
"Let this meeting serve as a turning point, where we not only commit to faster responses but to better systems as well. This commitment can only yield dividends that will help define our legacy. Let us make the strategic choice to invest in science as the engine of our national and global prosperity," urged the MEC.