Gates Foundation pledges $100mn to combat coronavirus as death toll rises

Amid the rising concerns of coronavirus, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Thursday reportedly announced that it will commit $100 million for the repose to coronavirus. According to international media, the fundings are aimed at treatment efforts, protection of at-risk populations and development of vaccines. This comes as the deadly virus has killed nearly 563 people and infected over 28,000 in China. 

Resources will help catalyze international response.

Multilateral organisations, national governments, the private sector and philanthropies must work together to slow the pace of the outbreak, help countries protect their most vulnerable citizens and accelerate the development of the tools to bring this epidemic under control, said Mark Suzman, CEO, Gates Foundation while talking to International media. She further added that they were hopeful that those resources will help catalyze a rapid and effective international response. The response should be guided by science, not fear, and it should build on the steps that the World Health Organisation has taken to date.

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According to media reports, the foundation will immediately commit $20 million to accelerate the detection and treatment of people diagnosed with the virus with the goal of interrupting transmission and containing the disease. The funding will be directed at multilateral organisations such as WHO and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to that, public health authorities in China and other counties that have reported confirmed cases will also be benefitted by the donation.

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Another $20 million will be committed to helping public health authorities in affected regions to strengthen their emergency operations centres, implement effective disease surveillance efforts and improve their capacity to safely isolate and treat confirmed cases. The foundation will commit the remaining $60 million to accelerate the discovery, development and testing of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics for 2019-nCoV, international media reported. 

With inputs from Agencies