One billion dollars was raised yesterday in the largest ever “investment round” for the World Health Organization (WHO), which was organized by the World Health Assembly under the slogan “All for Health, Health for All”.

Target of the WHO for its next turnover, during the period 2025-2028is to save 40 million lives. In order to achieve its objective, the Agency needs adequate, stable and predictable funding.

Yesterday’s “investment round” was co-organized by the WHO and the governments of Germany, France and Norway, with the participation of the Gates Foundation.

On her behalf European Unionthe president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, in her video message, announced contribution of $300 millionunderlining the EU’s commitment to the work of the WHO and assuring that the Organization can always count on the EU, as a reliable partner in global public health, global solidarity and responsibility, “for a future that leaves no one behind”.

More than 3,500 representatives of science, technology, politics, civil society and international organizations are participating in the World Health Summit organized from Sunday in Berlin under the title “Building trust for a healthier world”.

Greece contributes more than 20 million

Greece, represented by the Minister of Health Adonis Georgiadis, is contributing more than 20 million euros.

Speaking at the event, Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis emphasized that Greece “recently emerged from a huge economic crisis and its Health system could not survive without the support of the WHO”.

So we know very well how important what the WHO represents is, added Mr. Georgiadis and praised the efforts of the Director General of the Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus “at the global level, in the fight not only against the pandemic, but also against an even bigger pandemic , of misinformation and fake news that is spreading in the world and can destroy the human mind and human reason.” In the same vein, he also thanked the attending Gates Foundation chairman Bill Gates, who he said “fights hard against misinformation.”

“Greece, as a country that recognizes what the WHO represents, is and will remain a major funder in the years to come, with more than 20 million euros, so that the WHO can build “All for Health, Health for All”. Because Health is very important,” stressed Adonis Georgiadis, who also referred to the work of WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge. “The health system of Greece would not be the same without you,” said the minister.

“What the WHO is doing, no country can do alone”

During his intervention at the Synod, the chancellor Olaf Solz highlighted the importance of the WHO: “The work of the Organization benefits us all. And what he needs for his work is sustainable funding, which will give him the confidence to plan for the future and the flexibility to act,” the chancellor said and announced a contribution of at least 360 million euros from the German government.

“Whoever saves a life saves the whole world,” said Olaf Solz, borrowing a phrase from the Jewish holy book, the Talmud. “I invite you to participate. Let’s save lives together,” concluded the chancellor.

THE Bill Gates for his part he referred to the importance of financing global public health in order to achieve “a healthier future for all”. What the WHO is doing, no country can do aloneMr. Gates emphasized. “Global challenges require global solutions,” he declared and assured that “the money I allocated to the WHO is the money I spent in the best way, and the citizens of the contributing countries should feel the same.”

Closing the event, the Director General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Gebreges he noted that the coronavirus pandemic showed that, “when health is at stake, everything is at stake” and added that investments in WHO are investments not only in protecting and promoting health, but also “in fairer, more stable and safer societies and economies”. He even mentioned that even the poorest countries have announced financial contributions to the WHO, precisely because they realize the value of the Organization’s work for them.