WHO Director-General Thanks Saudi Leadership for Providing Vital Health Sector Funding to Fight COVID-19

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, April 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recently made the following statement on Twitter: "This is what 'Health for All' means! Thank you so much, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for your leadership and commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to the health services needed to fight COVID-19. I hope other countries will follow your lead! Solidarity!"

The WHO top official also addressed Saudi Arabia's leadership of the G20 Virtual Summit, which was hosted recently by the Kingdom. "Shukran jazeelan (thank you very much), Your Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the G20 leaders for your commitment to keeping your nations safe, and also for showing your solidarity with vulnerable countries that need your support now more than ever. Together, we can push back the effects of novel Coronavirus."

On 29 March 2020, and in response to an urgent appeal from the WHO, King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) signed an agreement giving WHO an amount of USD 10 million for urgent action needed to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and support countries with vulnerable health infrastructures. WHO Country Representative for Saudi Arabia, Dr. Ibrahim El Ziq, stated that, "the ten million dollars provided by Saudi Arabia will contribute to the implementation of the COVID-19 National Health Plan."

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia commits considerable resources to helping to alleviate the suffering of people in need globally. As the Kingdom's humanitarian representative, KSrelief continues to work in cooperation with United Nations agencies and other leading humanitarian organizations to safeguard public health and address a wide range of global humanitarian issues.

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SOURCE The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre