European FMs vow to support other countries with COVID-19 vaccines

European foreign ministers and health ministers met on Wednesday in Lyon, France, pledging to support other countries with COVID-19 vaccines and access to medical facilities and professionals, reported Xinhua.

Stella Kyriakides, European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, said the bloc has shared 407.4 million doses COVID-19 vaccines mainly via the COVAX Initiative, a global vaccine sharing mechanism.

"We need to go beyond vaccines," she said, noting that 46 billion euros of financial support have been sent to help 130 countries to recover from COVID-19.

The senior officials highlighted the European Union (EU's) coordination in international health solidarity to strengthen the health systems and security in low- and middle-income countries with technology transfers.

They voiced the hope that the meeting with the African Union on Feb. 17-18 in Brussels will strengthen their partnership.

The meeting also underlined the role of European and international health institutions during the pandemic.

"Health and well-being go together. Europeans must have strong words and actions towards One Health," French Health Minister Oliver Veran said.