Context: Recently, a new financial intermediary fund (FIF) for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) was officially created.

Financial Intermediary Fund(FIF)

• Purpose: To provide additional, long-term financing to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response(PPR) capabilities in low- and middle-income countries and address critical gaps at the national, regional and global levels.

• Trustee and Host: World Bank will serve as a trustee and host the secretariat of the fund with technical support from the World Health Organization(WHO).

• Funding: The fund was developed with broad support from members of the G20 and beyond. For instance, over $1.4 billion in financial commitments have already been announced by countries like Australia, Canada, China, the European Commission, the United States, India among others.

• Areas: Finances from the fund will go towards strengthening and sustaining PPR capacity in areas such as zoonotic disease surveillance, laboratories, emergency communication, coordination and management, critical health workforce capacities and community engagement.

Key Functions

• Provide a dedicated stream of additional, long-term financing to strengthen PPR capabilities in low- and middle-income countries,

• Address critical gaps through investments and technical support at the national, regional, and global levels,

• Improve coordination among partners,

• Incentivize increased country investments,

• Serve as a platform for advocacy, and

• Help focus and sustain much-needed, high-level attention on strengthening health systems.