Cablegate: Uk Pledges to Donate $37 Million to Help Fight The

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DE RUEHLO #2212 2661513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 231513Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3575
INFO RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC

UNCLAS LONDON 002212

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SENSITIVE

PLEASE PASS TO OES/IHB FANTOZZI AND IO/HS BLACKWOOD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TBIO PREL KFLU WHO UK
SUBJECT: UK PLEDGES TO DONATE $37 MILLION TO HELP FIGHT THE
GLOBAL H1N1 PANDEMIC

REF: SECSTATE 97471

1. (SBU) International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander announced on September 17 that HMG will donate 23 million GBP ($32 million) to the World Health Organization (WHO) to help developing countries tackle the H1N1 pandemic. The value of this commitment is equivalent to 10 percent of the UK's domestic supply of the vaccine, which meets President Obama's request for a 10 percent contribution.

2. (SBU) Pandemic Flu Coordinators Jennie Richmond at the Department for International Development (DFID) and Jo Newstead at the UK Department of Health told ESTHOff that HMG funding will be channeled directly to the World Health Organization (WHO), which will assess which countries need vaccine and other support. HMG will also make H1N1 vaccine available to the WHO as supplies become available. DFID already gave 7.9 million GBP ($12.8 million) to the WHO, United Nations, and Red Cross earlier in 2009 to help fight the spread of the H1N1 virus.

3. (SBU) Jo Newstead told ESTHOff that Bruce Mann, the Prime Minister's lead on the H1N1 pandemic, plans to discuss the UK's assistance for the H1N1 pandemic on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. HMG contacts on H1N1 pandemic flu issues are listed below: -Bruce Mann, Prime Minister's Office (Lead) -Jo Newstead, Department of Health -Jennie Richmond, DFID Visit London's Classified Website: XXXXXXXXXXXX
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