Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

What steps he is taking to strengthen health systems in developing countries.

The UK has been at the forefront of the international response to COVID-19, pledging up to £1.3 billion to address the health, humanitarian, and socio-economic impacts. We are working to strengthen global health security against future pandemics through the Prime Minister’s Five-Point Plan, and to end preventable deaths of mothers, new-born babies and children. We recently announced £340 million core contribution to WHO (2020-24), to support WHO’s work including on maternal and child health and strengthening health systems.

The UK is also a leading donor to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria and Gavi which are helping to keep essential health services going during the pandemic. Our investments in the Global Financing Facility are helping strengthen health systems alongside the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines.