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01:48 PM
Saturday April 25, 2020
Geneva – (dpa):
The World Health Organization, major powers and major donors today launched a campaign to raise billions of dollars to accelerate work in the areas of diagnosis, treatment and vaccines related to the emerging coronavirus (Covid-19).
“We face a common threat that we cannot overcome without using a common approach,” WHO Director Tidros Adhanom Gebresos said in a virtual internet presentation about the program.
The initiative aims to ensure that these newly developed medical tools are widely available worldwide, not just in wealthy countries.
“This is public health for all humanity,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at the initiative’s virtual launch ceremony, speaking of the need to raise € 8bn ($ 8.6bn).
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his hope that the United States and China can overcome their differences and support the initiative. “There should be no divisions between countries,” he said.
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Line, announced that an official conference will be held on May 4 to present the promises. The head of the executive arm of the European Union said the goal was to raise € 7.5 billion.