2021 WHO Covid response activities are underfunded – DG says

Although a surge in Covid cases in some countries, insufficient funding has become a main challenge for current response plan Director General of WHO Dr Tedros Says. Addressing the routine media briefing last evening (17) in Geneva He said that current response plan is underfunded and the vast majority of that is ring fenced by donors for specific countries or activities.
According to the Dr. Tedros, demand is currently so high from the countries with surge in cases and WHO needs immediate funding in order to sustain its technical and operational support to all countries, especially the most affected involved in the present wave.
“In 2020, donors very generously contributed to the Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. However, in 2021, the current response plan is underfunded and the vast majority of that is ring fenced by donors for specific countries or activities.
This is constraining WHO’s ability to provide an adaptable and scalable response in emerging hotspots.
WHO requires urgent funding to the current response plan, which would allow us to scale up support for countries and support the ACT Accelerator.
Flexibility of that finance is key, not just so that we can respond quickly to the emergency needs in several countries including Nepal, but that we can work to save lives and livelihoods wherever it is most needed in a rapidly evolving situation.” He said .
Also Director General of WHO observes that a huge disconnect growing, where in some countries with the highest vaccination rates, there appears to be a mindset that the pandemic is over, while others are experiencing huge waves of infection.
While pointing out the situation in some countries continues to be very concerning, Dr Tedros stressed that the pandemic is a long way from over, and it will not be over anywhere until it’s over everywhere.
“Even some places that have previously done very well at containing COVID-19 are seeing dramatic increases in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
New variants of concern, fragile health systems, reduced implementation of public health measures and supply shortages of oxygen, dexamethasone and vaccines are all compounding the current situation.” He further said.