Coronavirus: UN launches £1.5bn global humanitarian response to fight Covid-19 in most vulnerable countries

‘Covid-19 is menacing the whole of humanity – and so the whole of humanity must fight back,’ says organisation

The United Nations has launched a £1.5 billion global humanitarian response that will combat the spread of coronavirus in the world’s most vulnerable countries, as the organisation insisted that it was time for humanity to “fight back” against the deadly pathogen.

In cooperation with a number of support agencies, aid charities, national governments and international NGOs, the UN is set to deliver essential medical equipment and supplies, install hand washing stations and establish humanitarian hubs in countries across the world.

“COVID-19 is menacing the whole of humanity – and so the whole of humanity must fight back,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement on Wednesday. “Individual country responses are not going to be enough.

“We must come to the aid of the ultra-vulnerable – millions upon millions of people who are least able to protect themselves. This is a matter of basic human solidarity. It is also crucial for combating the virus. This is the moment to step up for the vulnerable.”

To date, Covid-19 has killed more nearly 19,000 people worldwide and infected more than 400,000.

As the spread of the virus continues to accelerate, it is now infecting people in countries that were already facing humanitarian crisis because of conflict, natural disasters and climate change.

“Covid-19 has already upended life in some of the world’s wealthiest countries,” said Secretary-General for humanitarian affairs Mark Lowcock. “It is now reaching places where people live in warzones, cannot easily access clean water and soap, and have no hope of a hospital bed if they fall critically ill.

“To leave the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries to their fate would be both cruel and unwise. If we leave coronavirus to spread freely in these places, we would be placing millions at high risk, whole regions will be tipped into chaos and the virus will have the opportunity to circle back around the globe.”

As part of the response plan, Unicef will partner with education ministries to help provide alternative learning opportunities, including remote teaching, for children whose schools have been shut due to the pandemic.

The charity is also appealing for more than £500m in funding to provide personal protection for health workers, such as masks and gloves, hygiene materials for thousands of schools and other public places, and support with health education messaging.

“Children are the hidden victims of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore. “Lockdowns and school closures are affecting their education, mental health and access to basic health services. The risks of exploitation and abuse are higher than ever, for boys and girls alike.

“For children on the move or living through conflicts, the consequences will be unlike any we have ever seen. We must not let them down.”

While urging member states to commit to the global effort in the stemming the spread and impact of Covid-19, the UN also warned that any diversion of funding from existing humanitarian operations could lead to further crises on the international stage.​

To kick-start the response plan, Mr Lowcock released an additional £46.3 million from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), bringing the total figure to £57.9 million.

The likes of the World Food Programme will be able to draw from this funding to ensure the continuity of supply chains and transport of relief goods. Other agencies that provide humanitarian assistance and protection to those most affected by the pandemic will also have access to the CEFF.