WHO creates foundation to boost 'quality & quantity of funds' in fight against COVID-19

To ramp up the fight against health crisis, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the creation of a new foundation that will support the UN agency’s efforts in enhancing "quantity and quality" of funds by finding new sources including the general public. WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared that the independent grant-making entity, to be headquartered in Geneva, will assist the organisation in delivering the “triple billion” goals that aim to “protect 1 billion people from health emergencies; extend universal health coverage to 1 billion people; and assure healthy lives and wellbeing to 1 billion people by 2023.”

This comes as the WHO's global response to COVID-19 pandemic is severely being scrutinised by world leaders including US President Donald Trump who called it "China-centric" and accused the UN health agency of 'not doing enough' to combat the global health crisis. While some countries are also gathering up support to call for an independent inquiry into the global response mitigated by the UN health agency, the United States has halted its funding to WHO.

The WHO has also said that the Foundation would be “legally separate” from the UN health agency and will mitigate the contributions of the general public as well as the individual donors and corporate partners to the organisation to deliver on “high-impact programmes”. The entity would help the UN health agency in the broadening of the donor base work for “sustainable” and “predictable” funding that could magnify its efforts in all aspects of health. The WHO chief noted that the announcement made on May 27 is the outcome of work done over the course of at least two years of preparations by all WHO partners and individuals.

“An important part of WHO's future success is broadening its donor base and increasing both the quantity and quality of funds at its disposal," said Ghebreyesus. "The creation of the WHO Foundation, as part of WHO's transformation, is an important step towards this goal, and towards achieving our mission to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.”

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‘Safeguarding global health’

Professor Thomas Zeltner, Founder of the WHO Foundation and former Secretary of Health of Switzerland and Director-General of the Swiss National Health Authority has noted that the organisation’s work is essential in “safeguarding” and “promoting” global health, and the same role has been underlined amid the devastating coronavirus outbreak. Ghebreyesus said that the position of WHO amid COVID-19 pandemic has become “more crucial” and therefore the organisation “deserves” an independent entity that can enhance its efforts and magnify its effect. 

Zeltner said, “WHO’s achievements and contributions to global health and the wellbeing of humanity are tremendous, but we cannot take those accomplishments for granted. The WHO deserves a strong, independent, external advocate who can support and strengthen its impact.”

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Image Source: AP