United Kingdom set to become WHO's largest state donor with 30% funding hike

United Kingdom is set to become the single largest national donor to the World Health Organisation (WHO) after the United States abandoned the UN health agency over the COVID-19 pandemic dispute.

According to the statement released by Downing Street, the UK Prime minister announced a 30 percent increase in Britain’s funding to WHO at his address at the UN General Assembly on September 26. He also urged the international community to rectify the “ugly rifts” that are hampering the global battle against the health crisis. 

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Johnson's announcement at the 75th UNGA meeting comes after US President Donald Trump's earlier denouncement of the WHO as a ‘Chinese Organisation’ for it'shandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The British PM announced $433 million (£340 million) in funding over the next four years that amounts to a 30 percent increase. Further supporting the WHO in its work, Johnson suggested that the body receives greater powers to demand reports on how other nations are handling the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Boris Johnson, in his pre-recorded video message to the UNGA, said “And after nine months of fighting COVID-19, the very notion of the international community looks, frankly, pretty tattered. And we know that we simply can’t continue in this way. Unless we get our act together.”

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UK to contribute £571 mn to COVAX

Moreover, Johnson also declared an increase in the UK's funding of COVAX research which is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the WHO. Noting that “no-one is safe until everyone is safe”, UK PM announced the contribution up to $728 million (£571 million) to the initiative designed to distribute a COVID-19 vaccine across the world. Out of the total sum, $637 million (£500 million) has been set aside for the developing countries to protect themselves against the COVID-19 pandemic.

UK PM said, “The UK is already the biggest donor to Gavi, the global vaccine alliance. In June we helped to raise almost $9 billion to immunise another 300 million children against killer diseases, and Gavi also stands ready to help distribute a COVID-19 vaccine.”

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Image Credits: AP