PAHO received US$263m for covid19 fight

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) received commitments of more than US$263
million in 2020 for the fight against covid19.

PAHO said in a press report on Wednesday that these resources are used to offer technical support and supplies to the countries of the Americas.

The US$263 million included direct financial support to PAHO, through contributions through the World Health Organization (US$101.3 million), as well as agreements negotiated with PAHO member states supported by various international financial institutions.

The report explains that the governments of Belize, Canada, Colombia, Korea, Spain, the United States, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the European Commission, donated a combined sum of US$91 million.

Direct contributors also incorporate various UN agencies; regional and international development banks; the Confederation of Credit Unions of the Caribbean; the Yamuni Tabus Foundation; the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Rockefeller Foundation; and individual donors who contributed to PAHO's covid19 Response Fund.

The member countries of PAHO granted approximately US$70.8 million to finance the public health response.

Ciro Ugarte, director of PAHO's Health Emergencies Department, said: "These funds have allowed us to work shoulder to shoulder with the Ministries of Health and other key partners to face this pandemic."

Urgate said PAHO recognised it needed resources to help member states vaccinate more than 465 million people across 39 countries and territories in 2021.