SINGAPORE - Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan met the World Health Organisation's (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in Geneva on Thursday and had an in-depth discussion on global health issues, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).

They both agreed on the importance of strengthening global pandemic surveillance, increasing transparency and countering pandemic misinformation, and also for the need to be prepared for future pandemics.

Dr Balakrishnan commended the WHO for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and expressed Singapore's full support for the organisation's central role in the evolving global health scene.

Dr Tedros also acknowledged Singapore's active surveillance of its local Covid-19 situation, including continued rigorous testing and genomic sequencing of viral samples.

"Singapore will continue to support vaccine multilateralism and efforts to strengthen the global system for pandemic preparedness and response," added the MFA.

Dr Balakrishnan, who arrived in Geneva on Wednesday to attend the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator Summit, will return on Friday.