The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has donated one million dollars to help Nigeria in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund was received on Tuesday by the UN Finance support platform, One UN COVID-19 Response Basket Fund
According to the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP, the Basket Fund is aimed at supporting the country’s response in the management of the health crisis and the realities of post Covid crisis, particularly in the protection of vulnerable persons.
The UNDP Representative in Nigeria, Mohammed Yahaya, said in a statement that as a COVID-19 response financing and investment platform, the One UN Response Basket Fund provides a timely opportunity to stand with Nigeria and channel financial contributions toward the COVID-19 multi-sectoral response.
Managed by the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), relevant Government departments, fund contributing donors and the UN, as of June 2020, the Basket Fund has mobilised US$61.3 million, including US$54.6 million from the European Union (EU); US$2.2 million from UN agencies; $US4 million from the private sector (Dangote US$ 3.8 million and AP Maersk US$ 0.2 million); and US$0.4 million from the Government of Switzerland.
