Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,
Thank you for joining us for today’s briefing.
We are again fortunate to have with us ministers and special representatives from each of the six WHO regions, who will share their experiences with COVID-19.
First, I'd like to thank the European Commission for hosting the COVID-19 pledging event on Monday – special thanks to President Ursula von der Leyen – and to all countries who participated and made pledges. This was a remarkable show of global solidarity and commitment to equitable access to diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines.
Next, I'd like to briefly tell you about our updated Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, which will be published in the coming days.
You will be hearing about it in more detail from my colleague Dr Mike Ryan and Dr Scott Pendergast.
This second iteration of the SPRP takes us through the end of 2020, and focuses on the resources that WHO needs for its own operations, including essential supplies.
The updated SPRP estimates that WHO requires 1.7 billion U.S. dollars to respond to COVID-19, across the three levels of the organization.
This estimate includes the funds that WHO has already received to date, leaving WHO with a funding gap of 1.3 billion dollars for 2020.
This updated plan takes into account the lessons we have learned so far, strengthening WHO’s role in global and regional coordination, in essential areas such as supply chains.
WHO will continue to provide technical support to governments to implement priority public health measures to prepare and respond to the pandemic, as well as other essential health services.
In certain fragile settings and countries with weaker health systems, WHO will continue its operational work as a provider of essential health services.
The third element of the SPRP is Research and Development.
Under the updated SPRP, WHO will begin planning for the local delivery and implementation networks that will be needed as therapeutics and vaccines are developed.
Finally, a quick mention about the WHO Academy, which in the coming week will launch its new COVID-19 mobile learning application in the six official UN languages.
This will enable health workers everywhere to access the latest guidance and training from across WHO on their smartphones.
I thank you.
