G20-nations' ministers launch $1.4bn to combat the next pandemic
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Nusa Dua, Indonesia: Ministers of the participating countries of the G20 meeting scheduled here have launched a $1.4-billion fund to combat the next global pandemic on Sunday. The health ministers and finance ministers of the bloc launched the same ahead of the summit to be held next week, Agence France-Presse.
The major donors to the fund were the United States, Britain, India, China, France, Canada, Australia and Japan. The US donated $450 million, which is one-third of the total donations.
The said fund is seen as one of the early outcomes of the summit and was launched at a news conference opened by Indonesian President Joko Widido. The conference was addressed by the World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
US States Secretary Janet Yellen said she was proud of what the bloc has accomplished. The steps that were taken today will provide a healthier and more responsive global health architecture.
President Widodo said in a video address that the G20 agrees to create the fund and preparation for another pandemic. There were donors from G20 members, non-G20 countries and philanthropic organisations towards the fund, but he added that it was not enough.
Indonesia also expects Saudi Arabia to contribute to the fund, but its Finance Minister did not specify how much.
In mid-2021, Indonesia was the centre for the Delta variant for some time, which churned out many positive cases. When the cases became overwhelming, Jakarta went for locally made vaccines as some countries hoarded their vaccines for their own citizens, Agence France-Presse reported.