Singapore contributes $24m to WHO for mobilising resources in tackling global health challenges

GENEVA - Singapore is contributing $24 million to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) newly launched Investment Round to mobilise resources for the agency’s core work in the next four years, from 2025 to 2028.

The donation is part of the Republic’s continued commitment to international cooperation in health, and multilateral coordination in tackling global health challenges.

Announcing this at the WHO Strategic Roundtable on May 28 in Geneva, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said that, with its contribution, Singapore would “prioritise strengthening the core capacities of countries, especially developing countries, to raise health emergency preparedness, tackle antimicrobial resistance and increase global vaccine coverage, especially for the at-risk groups”.

“As a small country that depends on the world to survive and earn a living, it is very important for us to uphold multilateralism. It is very important because we believe that countries cooperating together, coordinating our responses, can help us tackle and solve global challenges,” he said.

“When it comes to health, the World Health Organisation is the only multilateral institution that we have to coordinate our countries’ responses. The International Health Regulations is the only framework that we have for us to guide our responses and fulfil our roles and responsibilities,” the minister added.

Singapore is the first country in Asia and one of the first WHO member states to announce its pledge.

The Investment Round, which was approved by WHO’s executive board in January 2024, is a new approach to mobilising resources and working with existing donors and other partners. It also aims to attract new donors through an inclusive engagement process that will lead to a high-level financing event in the fourth quarter of 2024.

This is the first time that WHO has made a targeted call with the aim of securing predictable and sustainable funding for its work. 

On the impetus to support sustainable financing of the organisation, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said: “Barely out of Covid-19, we are flying blind into the next pandemic. It could occur in 10 years, or in a year. The timing is uncertain, but we can no longer talk of a once-in-a-century event.”

Mr Tharman was the former co-chair of the Group of 20 high-level independent panel on financing the global commons for pandemic preparedness and response.

He said a well-resourced and well-functioning WHO is critical to global health security, yet it lacks adequate and predictable funding.

“Strengthening multilateral cooperation in health, with the WHO at the centre, not only unites us as humans but also serves each of our nation’s interests. Quite apart from the moral and epidemiological imperatives, it is the financially prudent and responsible thing to do for each of our nations, rich or poor,” Mr Tharman added.

The roundtable on All For Health, Health For All: The WHO Investment Case is being held in Geneva.