The United Kingdom calls for ‘long term’ strategy to prepare for future pandemics at the World Bank meeting
The World Bank must help developing nations build stronger economies and healthcare systems – leaving them better able to deal with future disease outbreaks and protecting the UK from new infections, International Development Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said today (Friday, 17 April) at the Bank’s Spring Meetings.
Ms Trevelyan, the UK Governor to the Bank, warned it was also necessary to think longer-term – and with greater international co-operation – to make sure more countries can fight against future pandemics to protect the world from more deadly outbreaks.
Health specialists have cautioned that if coronavirus is left to spread in creating nations, this could prompt a second flood of the infection in the UK later in the year, squeezing our NHS.
In her World Bank Governor’s statement, co-authored with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, Ms Trevelyan called for the World Bank to help the poorest countries “build back better,” making them more resilient and better able to deal with future crises which would help protect the whole world.
Ms Trevelyan welcomed the $160 billion funding package agreed last month by the World Bank to help developing countries fight and recover from the pandemic and its economic impacts, also aiding the whole world economy.
