UK
aid will protect the British public and help prevent a second wave of
coronavirus coming to the UK by slowing its spread in the most vulnerable
countries, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan announced
today.
A
package of £200 million will back UK charities and international organisations
to help reduce mass infections in developing countries which often lack the
healthcare systems to track and halt the virus. Today’s announcement brings the
total amount of UK aid committed to the global fight against coronavirus to
£744 million, making the UK one of the biggest donors to the international
response.
Health
experts have identified the weakness of developing countries’ healthcare
systems as one of the biggest risks to the global spread of the virus. They
have also warned that if coronavirus is left to spread in developing countries,
this could lead to the virus re-emerging in the UK later in the year and put
further pressure on our NHS.
The
new UK aid announced today includes £130 million for UN agencies in response to
their urgent appeal for support. Of this, £65 million will go to the World
Health Organization (WHO) which is coordinating international efforts to end
the pandemic sooner.
UK
funding for the WHO will help provide more accurate assessments of how the pandemic
is progressing around the world, allowing support to be targeted where it will
save the most lives and stop the outbreak sooner, and helping countries respond
to the virus.
The
pandemic is particularly dangerous for countries with weak health systems who
are already struggling to fight preventable diseases. In Yemen, 80 per cent of
the population are already in need of humanitarian assistance and only about 50
per cent of health facilities are operational. In Asia, Bangladesh hosts
850,000 Rohingya refugees, many in crowded and unsanitary camps where disease
could take hold rapidly.
These
countries will be hard hit by lockdowns and disruptions to the supply of goods
and services. UK aid will help to mitigate these conditions and support those
already living in desperate situations.
The
funding will also help developing countries to rapidly identify and care for
patients with symptoms in order to limit human-to-human transmission. Our
investment will help install new hand-washing stations and isolation and
treatment centres in refugee camps, and increase access to clean water for
those living in areas of armed conflict.
International
Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:
“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.
“Our
new UK aid support will help stop the virus from infecting millions of people
in the poorest countries, meaning we can end this global pandemic sooner and
prevent future waves of infection coming to the UK.”
A
further £50 million of the £200 million package will support the Red Cross in
difficult to reach areas such as those suffering from armed conflict.
A
final £20 million will go to NGOs, including UK charities which are using
British expertise and experience to deal with coronavirus.
Pioneering
British scientists and researchers like those at Oxford University and at
Mologic, based in Bedford, are already at the forefront of the global race to
find a coronavirus vaccine and stop its spread, including within the UK.
The
UK has already committed £250 million of aid to the Coalition for Epidemic
Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to rapidly develop a coronavirus vaccine, the
biggest donation of any country. Thanks to this investment, future vaccines
will be made available at the lowest possible price to the NHS and other
countries’ healthcare systems.
The
announcement follows the Prime Minister’s call to world leaders to work
together to create a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to
anyone who needs it.
Dr
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization
said:
“COVID-19
has demonstrated it has no regard for borders, ethnicities, ideologies or the
size of a country’s economy.
“The
United Kingdom’s generous contribution is a strong statement that this is a
global threat that demands a global response. WHO is deeply grateful to the
government and people of the United Kingdom for their generous contribution.
“We
are all in this together, which means protecting health around the world will
help to protect the health of people in the UK.”
UK
aid support for the WHO will not only help developing countries but will also
benefit the UK through further research into the virus and improved
international coordination.
Notes
to editors:
The
new UK aid funding of £200 million is broken down as follows:
•£130
million for the new UN appeal, including: £65 million for the World Health
Organization; £20 million for UNICEF; £20 million for the UN Refugee Agency
(UNHCR); £15 million for the World Food Programme; and £10 million for the UN
Population Fund (UNFPA).
•£50
million for the new International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement appeals.
•£20
million for international NGOs, including UK charities, to tackle the virus.
Today’s
announcement brings the total amount of UK aid committed to fight coronavirus
to £744 million. This includes: support to develop new vaccines, tests and
treatments; humanitarian aid, support for the International Monetary Fund to
help mitigate the impact of coronavirus on the world’s most vulnerable
countries; and a global hygiene programme with Unilever.
