GENEVA, Feb 24 (KUNA) -- Kuwait donated USD half a million for the World Health Organization (WHO), its annual voluntary contribution and part of which to be diverted to help fight coronavirus, or COVID-19, Kuwait's top diplomat to UN in Geneva said.
Jamal Al-Ghunaim, Kuwait's permanent representative to UN and international organizations, told KUNA Monday he made the donation during a meeting he had with Dr. Michael Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Program.
"WHO Health Emergencies Program will use Kuwait's voluntary contribution in many pressing regional and international projects," he said.
Kuwait, he added, supported WHO's endeavors to fight coronavirus and Kuwait's delegation to the UN in Geneva was in contact with WHO on a daily basis to get latest updates about COVID-19 to send them back to Kuwait.
Al-Ghunaim, meanwhile, said relations between WHO and Kuwait would witness "an important leap" following the opening of an office of WHO in Kuwait.
"This office will cement communication between experts of Kuwait Ministry of Health and the organization with the objective of promoting health services inside Kuwait," he said.
Dr. Ryan said they discussed Kuwait's support to WHO's Health Emergencies Program in the Middle East, including the fight against coronavirus.
Ryan termed Kuwait's support to WHO's program as "important" because it contributed to addressing health emergencies around the globe. (end) ta.bs