The Permanent Forum welcomes efforts by Member States to organize specific vaccine programmes for indigenous peoples and encourages the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi Alliance, WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund, in their administration of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility, to ensure that indigenous peoples are uniquely included in vaccine dissemination efforts. Given the disproportionate effect of the COVID-19 virus on the mortality of indigenous peoples in many countries, the Forum underlines the urgency of ensuring that all indigenous peoples are uniquely considered in vaccine planning and distribution. Due attention should also be given to indigenous peoples affected by conflict and post-conflict situations and complex humanitarian emergencies.
The Forum urges WHO to attend its sessions, and encourages WHO to submit a report to it at its fourth session, responding to recommendations made by the Forum at its first to third sessions. The Forum regrets that WHO was unable to respond to its recommendations made at its second session, in particular those contained in chapter I, section B, paragraphs 16, 63-64, 68, 74, 79 and 82.
The Permanent Forum recommends that the WHO End TB Strategy and the Global Partnership to Stop Tuberculosis, in collaboration with UNFPA, PAHO and the Inter-Agency Support Group on Indigenous Peoples ’ Issues, organize an expert group meeting on tuberculosis by 2020 to analyse the sociocultural an d economic determinants of health for the prevention, care and treatment of tuberculosis in indigenous communities, with the cooperation of the Forum, in order to ensure the realization of target 3 of Sustainable Development Goal 3. The Forum also recommends the review of the Moscow Declaration to End TB, which considers indigenous peoples to be disproportionately affected by tuberculosis.
Reinforce the investments in population and reproductive health which is crucial for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals - to reduce poverty, achieve universal primary education, improve maternal and child health, curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, promote gender equality, ensure sustainable development, and establish a strong partnership for development