UN Development Program or UNDP is anticipating 500 million US Dollars in its appeal to support 100 countries to prepare, respond and recover from the devastating effect of COVID-19, said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator.
He said UNDP’s support on COVID-19 includes resources to help prepare for and stop the spread of the virus, respond during the outbreak.
Resources to militate against the hardest economic losses and social disruption and help countries recover from the long-term impacts some areas to be supported, Steiner said.
The administrator clarified that the 30 million Dollars Rapid Response Facility launched for vulnerable countries provides seed funding within 72 hours of request and that 83 countries have benefited, amounting to 23.3 million Dollars.
Steiner added that ‘Pre-existing conditions such as poverty, insecurity, weak governance and fragile infrastructure in low-and middle-income countries threaten to exacerbate the impact of COVID-19 if not immediately addressed’.
The Administrator also stated that ‘UNDP’s Rapid Response Facility aims to help expedite and facilitate this urgent support.
Steiner explained that ‘this Rapid Response Facility is fast-tracking life-saving efforts from the procurement of critical protective equipment and medical supplies to promote digital solutions such as telemedicine.