New COVID-19 response fund launched

World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Foundation officials said the newly launched (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund would raise funds from donors to aid countries responding to the pandemic.

The endeavor, created by the WHO, the United Nations Foundation, and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, would enable private individuals, corporations, and institutions worldwide to contribute to global response efforts directly.

“We are at a critical point in the global response to COVID-19 – we need everyone to get involved in this massive effort to keep the world safe,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “We are immensely grateful to the UN Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation for coming forward to help us set up this fund. A lot of people and institutions have been saying they want to contribute to the fight against the novel coronavirus. Now they can.”

Facebook and Google have also instituted a matching scheme for funds raised through their platforms, while individual donors are also supporting the fund through www.COVID19ResponseFund.org.

“We can’t ignore the fact that this is a truly global problem – one that requires truly global solutions,” Elizabeth Cousens, UN Foundation president and CEO, said. “The case for global cooperation could not be clearer – communities everywhere are affected, and people want to contribute. This new fund will create space for people everywhere, together, to fight this virus.”

The funds would be used to help nations prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 crisis by rapidly detecting cases, stopping transmission of the virus, and caring for those affected.