New York: The United Nations has warned that all of humanity is at risk due to COVID-19 pandemic. UN has appealed for US$2 billion for its virus aid plan to assist the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
In a statement, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said, “COVID-19 is threatening the whole of humanity, and the whole of humanity must fight back. Global action and solidarity are crucial. Individual country responses are not going to be enough.”
According to Antonio Guterres, the aid initiative aims to address the needs and tackle the virus outbreak in the world’s poorest countries and will focus on women, children, older people and those with some kind of disability and chronic illness.
The UN virus aid plan is intended to last from April to December. The secretary general has highlighted the significance of continuation of annual aid provided by member states to help 100 million people around the world.
The aid will be used to set up hand-washing facilities in refugee camps, launch public awareness campaigns and establish humanitarian air shuttles with Africa, Asia and Latin America. The fund will be utilized by various humanitarian agencies and NGOs and assist them with laboratory supplies for testing, and with medical equipment to treat the sick while protecting health care workers.
UN plan will be carried out by UN agencies that work directly with non-governmental organisations. It will be coordinated by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mark Lowcock.
The aid plan prioritises 20 countries including some enduring war or some degree of conflict, including Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, Yemen, Venezuela and Ukraine.