WHO urges developed nations to chip in $16 billion to fight pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on high- and middle-income nations to donate $16 billion for the ACT-Accelerator, an international pandemic response program to end the COVID-19 pandemic this year as a global emergency situation, Report informs, citing foreign media.

According to the WHO, a significant proportion of the world's population is now unable to get tested, get a vaccine, or receive treatment for COVID-19. Since the start of the pandemic, more than 4.7 billion tests have been done globally, with only 22 million tests done in poor countries, i.e. 0.4% of the total. Only 10% of people in poor countries have received at least one dose of the vaccine.

In order to rectify this disparity, the WHO is calling on rich nations to donate $16 billion urgently. These funds, according to the organization, will be spent primarily on the purchase of 600 million doses of vaccines, 700 million tests, providing medicines to treat 120 million patients with COVID-19, purchasing 433 cubic meters of oxygen, providing 1.7 million healthcare workers with PPE (personal protective equipment). The WHO expects to get the remaining $6.5 billion from middle-income countries.