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UK government pledges £200m to World Health Organisation and charities
The British government has pledged £200m to the World Health Organisation and charities to slow the spread of coronavirus in vulnerable countries and prevent a second wave of infections.
Britain’s aid minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said assisting the poorest nations now would help prevent the virus returning to the UK.
“While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, weâre deploying British expertise and funding around the world to prevent a second deadly wave reaching the UK,” Ms Trevelyan said in a statement.
“Coronavirus does not respect country borders so our ability to protect the British public will only be effective if we strengthen the healthcare systems of vulnerable developing countries too.”
The government said £130m would go to United Nations’ agencies, with £65m for the WHO. Another £50m would go to the Red Cross to help war-torn and hard to reach areas, and £20m would go to other organisations and charities.
“The United Kingdomâs generous contribution is a strong statement that this is a global threat that demands a global response,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO’s director general, said.
“We are all in this together, which means protecting health around the world will help to protect the health of people in the UK.”