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A new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Solidarity Response Fund to raise money from donors to support the World Health Organization (WHO) respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first-of-its-kind, has been created by the United Nations Foundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, together with WHO.
The fund has already lined up support from Facebook and Google who have instituted a matching scheme for funds raised through their platforms, while individual donors are also supporting the fund through www.COVID19ResponseFund.org.
“We need everyone to get involved in this massive effort to keep the world safe,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “A lot of people and institutions have been saying they want to contribute to the fight against the novel coronavirus. Now they can.”
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.”
Funds will go towards enabling the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan to enable all countries – particularly those most vulnerable and at-risk, and with the weakest health systems – to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 crisis such as rapidly detecting cases, stopping transmission of the virus, and caring for those affected.
WHO is seeking financing for protective equipment for frontline health workers; to equip diagnostic laboratories; improve surveillance and data collection; establish and maintain intensive care units; strengthen supply chains; accelerate research and development of vaccines and therapeutics; and take other critical steps to scale up the public health response to the pandemic.
All donations made to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by local laws. Swiss Philanthropy Foundation has also partnered with Transnational Giving Europe to extend tax benefit to European countries where applicable.
