COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund marks first anniversary and calls for continued support

The fund’s first year was marked by unprecedented solidarity: to date, more than 661,000 donors have contributed nearly $ 250 million. The funds were used to provide millions of frontline workers with essential personal protective equipment, medical supplies and test kits; manage disinformation and infodemia; support vulnerable populations such as refugees and displaced persons; and helped accelerate research on vaccines, tests and treatments.

“I sincerely thank every individual, business and other organization for their donations to the Solidarity Response Fund,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Your generosity has made a difference. On the fund’s first anniversary, we saw what we can accomplish together when needed ”.

The Solidarity Response Fund has been a key source of funding for WHO’s overall response. Since the start of the pandemic, WHO has shipped nearly 250 million personal protective equipment and life-saving medical supplies, including oxygen, to more than 150 countries, bolstered hundreds of national and subnational laboratories with technical support, provided more than 250 million COVID-19 tests; coordinated the deployment of more than 180 teams around the world; and supported more than 12,000 intensive care beds in health systems that might otherwise have been overwhelmed.

Despite this progress, current trends show that the fight is far from over. That’s why today, the fund is issuing a new call to action for funds to contribute to the estimated US $ 1.96 billion required by WHO in 2021 to meet the remaining and emerging challenges in the world. fight against COVID-19.

Contributions to the next phase of the fund will support the efforts of WHO and its partners to continue to suppress transmission, reduce exposure, combat disinformation, protect vulnerable people, reduce mortality and morbidity, and accelerate disease. ‘equitable access to new COVID-19 tools – including through WHO’s work with ACT-Accelerator, to scale up immunization around the world, especially for the most vulnerable countries, and ensure the delivery of vital supplies.

The recently launched WHO Foundation will lead the next phase of the Solidarity Response Fund to support the continued fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation and a global network of fiduciary partners.

“The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has galvanized an astonishing surge of global generosity beyond anything we have seen before. We put all the resources of the United Nations Foundation behind this task and have been overwhelmed by the global response which has enabled us to secure essential funds for the most urgent needs during the devastating first year of the pandemic. The Solidarity Response Fund is a true testament to the power of collective action and what can be achieved when people from all sectors and all corners of the world act together to respond to a collective threat, ”said said Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the United Nations Foundation.

Launched in May 2020, the WHO Foundation is an independent funding body organization which supports WHO’s efforts to address pressing global health challenges.

“COVID-19 has affected us all. Each country. Every business. Each community. It was inspiring to see the world rallying to WHO last year in the form of hundreds of thousands of contributions to its Solidarity Fund. This money has been put to good use and saved countless lives, “said Anil Soni, CEO of the WHO Foundation.” I am committed to sustaining the Fund’s success as a vehicle for individuals and businesses to fuel the global fight against COVID-19. . This pandemic will not be over nowhere until it is over everywhere, and donations to the Solidarity Response Fund are helping the world achieve this goal.

The COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) and accompanying guidelines, released in February 2021, fully set out the rationale for the WHO call. The document guides the coordinated action WHO needs to take at national, regional and global levels to overcome current challenges in responding to COVID-19, tackle inequalities and chart a course beyond the pandemic.

“We have accomplished a lot in the past year. Sadly, the pandemic is far from over and we cannot give up the fight just yet. We thank you for your contributions and ask for your continued support in defeating COVID-19. Added Dr Tedros.

Notes to Editors

Report on WHO’s 2020 Response to COVID-19.

Learn more about the WHO response to COVID-19

About the Solidarity Response Fund