G-STIC at the CSTD intergovernmental forum of 2021
The CSTD (Commission on Science and Technology for Development) is an intergovernmental forum which discusses science, technology and innovation and how this affects development and a sustainable future for all. The forum consists of 43 Member States. The 24th CSTD intergovernmental forum took place on 17 - 21 May 2021.
The online event about the health sector using science, technology and innovation to implement Agenda 2030 and the SDGs related to health on May 18, in relation to the CSTD intergovernmental forum, was organised by Fiocruz and G-STIC.
Redirecting science, technology, and innovation for social, environmental, and health goals
If the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect worldwide, recovery provides an opportunity for long-overdue changes to finally happen. It is not enough to think of returning to normality as it was before, because this would not be good for anyone, it is necessary to correct the course and direct science, technology, and innovation towards meeting social, environmental, and health objectives.
Speakers were Paulo Gadelha (Coordinator of the Fiocruz Strategy for the 2030 Agenda, EFA 2030), Kris Ebi (University of Washington), Steven Hoffman (Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Institute of Population and Public Health, CIHR-IPPH), Inês Hassan (International Scientific Council, ISC), Shantanu Mukherjee (United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN DESA), Angel Gonzalez Sanz (UNCTAD), Clovis Freire (UNCTAD), Flavia Elias (Fiocruz) and Dietrich Van der Weken (G-STIC).
Lessons learned by the health sector to implement Agenda 2030
The event was kicked off by Paulo Gadelha, who explained the idea of bringing a wide range of perspectives on lessons learned, considering that the pandemic effects also undermined the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Gadelha recognized the health importance in the construction of an economic and social recovery, remembering that science and technology evolution is far from being equal among countries.
Clovis Freire pointed out that the health sector is much more connected to other sectors of the economy.