In an unprecedented show of solidarity with the World Health Organisation, 14 African countries and many partners pledged more than $45 million to the WHO Investment Round, a three-month-old initiative aimed at generating long-term funding for the organisation at the heart of the global health architecture.
The agreements were made at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, where heads of state and government from across the continent emphasised the necessity of investing in global health and maintaining a strong WHO.
The countries and partners gathered for the historic event aimed at sustaining WHO funding, allowing it to better fulfil its mandate and advance essential objectives such as promoting, providing, and protecting health and well-being for everyone.
Botswana, Cabo Verde, Chad, Congo, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, and The Gambia have all committed support. Many partners, including the Helmsley Charitable Trust, the World Diabetes Foundation, Roche, the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the African Development Bank, and the WHO Foundation, pledged their support to WHO and promised to make pledges later this year.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, stated, “I applaud our African Region Member States for enthusiastically supporting WHO’s inaugural Investment Round to mobilise predictable and flexible resources needed for our core mission over the next four years.
“Full, sustainable funding will enable WHO to support countries better in their work to build healthier, more resilient, and more prosperous populations.” Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, stated, “A robust, predictable, and sustainably funded WHO is crucial for our area and the world to confront the various health challenges we face, as well as assist disease prevention based on the substantial data at our disposal.
“Every pledge and partnership counts. Together, we can create a future in which health and well-being are available to everyone.”
The WHO Investment Round will continue in the following months, with major pledging moments occurring around the world. With a fully and sustainably funded operating budget over the next four years, WHO will be better able to respond to emergencies and outbreaks that endanger lives and jeopardise global health security; reduce the burden of infectious and noncommunicable diseases; and continue to work to improve the health and well-being of all people, particularly the most vulnerable.
