LONDON (UK) – Britain is pledging 200 million pounds to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and charities to slow the coronavirus spread in vulnerable countries and help prevent a second wave of infections.
Over 1.6 million people are infected by coronavirus globally and deaths are more than 100,000.
Infections are spotted in 210 countries since the first recorded case in China in December last year. British aid minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced that assisting the poorest nations now would help prevent the virus’ return to the United Kingdom.
Britain reported almost 10,000 deaths from the coronavirus so far.
“While our brilliant doctors and nurses fight coronavirus at home, we’re deploying British expertise and funding around the world to prevent a second deadly wave reaching the UK. 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.”
– Anne-Marie Trevelyan, British aid minister
130 million pounds would go to agencies of the United Nations and 65 million to the World Health Organisation. 50 million pounds go towards the Red Cross for war-torn areas and hard to reach locations aid and the final 20 million pounds go to other charities and organisations.
The cash will aid areas with weak health systems like Yemen and Bangladesh.
Britain’s support for the WHO is quite a contrast to U.S. President Donald Trump’s view wherein he has criticised WHO of mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The United Kingdom’s generous contribution is a strong statement that this is a global threat that demands a global response. We are all in this together, which means protecting health around the world will help to protect the health of people in the UK.”
– Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO’s Director General said.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.