How Pandemic Response Drives Universal Health Care

This plenary highlighted medical oxygen as a recent example to emphasize the need to place strong universal health care systems at the forefront of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

Pandemics serve as catalysts for universal health care by exposing gaps in comprehensive health care systems and reinforcing the value of national readiness ahead of a crisis. COVID-19 served as a key moment where inequities in access to health care were brought to light, with communities, governments, and all sectors of society within countries and globally insufficiently prepared and protected. Access to technologies, vaccines, and treatments, personal protective equipment, information and expertise were compromised and millions of lives lost.

This plenary How Pandemic Response Drive Universal Health Care highlighted the need to place strong universal health care systems at the forefront of pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR). Using medical oxygen as one recent example, the speakers discussed how investing in national oxygen ecosystems can help advance many health goals simultaneously, achieve universal health coverage (UHC), and build resilient health systems that can protect populations now and in future health crises. Speakers highlighted other examples, such as vaccines and diagnostics, to connect to the UHC/PPPR topic.

The plenary was moderated by Dr. Hamish Graham, Associate Professor, University of Melbourne and Paediatrician, The Royal Children’s Hospital and took place at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Headquarters in Manila, Philippines and virtually on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, from 10:45 to noon.

Event summary

The plenary included a panel discussion with opening and closing remarks. See below for more details. Read key takeaways in this article by Development Asia.

Opening remarks

The audience was welcomed by Dr. Graham. A keynote address was provided by the Executive Director of The Global Fund and opening remarks by the Director of Global Health Strategy at the International Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Speaker quote cards – Hamish Graham, Peter Sands and Dr Yosuke Kita

Panel discussion

The panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Graham with representatives from Fiji, the Cook Islands and Armenia as well as representatives from the World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, Unitaid, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Pandemic Fund, and Resolve to Save Lives. The panel discussed the significance of context, with tangible examples from island states; the importance of appropriate solutions, systems, and technology to meet oxygen needs; as well as the value of a systems approach, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainable financing to drive impact.

Speaker quote cards – Priya Basu, Robert Matiru and Amanda McClelland

Closing remarks

The panel discussion was closed by the Senior Director for the Human and Social Development Sector Office at the Asian Development Bank.

Speak quote card – Ayako Inagaki