VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB
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
SIPDIS
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
SUSMAN