Spectre of multiple famines looms: UN

The United Nations yesterday issued a new appeal for $4.7 billion in funding to "protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries."

The money is on top of the $2 billion the UN already called for when it launched its global humanitarian response plan on March 25. It has received about half of that money so far.

"The most devastating and destabilizing effects" of the novel coronavirus pandemic "will be felt in the world's poorest countries," UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock said in the statement.

"Unless we take action now, we should be prepared for a significant rise in conflict, hunger and poverty. The spectre of multiple famines looms," he warned.

The full $6.7 billion is expected to cover costs of the humanitarian response plan until December.

COVID-19 infections are expected to peak in the world's poorest countries in the next three to six months, UN estimates.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization on Wednesday urged countries to invest in getting their healthcare systems fit to fight the next pandemic rather than scrambling around in panic when it hits.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said investing now would save lives later. "The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually recede, but there can be no going back to business as usual," he said. "As we work on responding to this pandemic, we must also work harder to prepare for the next one."