WHO Foundation launched to support critical health needs

FILE: World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland (Photo By Eric Bridiers via United States Mission Geneva/Flickr, CC BY-ND 2.0)

GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday announced the creation of the WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making entity that will support the organization’s efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges.

WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference from Geneva that the idea to support the establishment of the WHO Foundation dated back to February 2018 and “today it gives us enormous pleasure to launch it officially.”

“For WHO to fulfill its mission and mandate, there is a clear need to broaden our donor base and to improve both the quantity and quality of funding we receive,” he said.

According to the WHO, headquartered in Geneva, the Foundation will support global public health needs by providing funds to the WHO and trusted implementing partners but is legally separate from WHO.

A WHO spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday in a press release that given the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the WHO Foundation would initially focus on emergencies and pandemic response, and will also raise and disburse funds for all WHO global public health priorities. (Xinhua)