The Pandemic Fund

The Pandemic Fund is a first-of-its-kind multilateral financing mechanism dedicated exclusively to strengthening critical pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR) capacities at the local, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. The Fund provides a dedicated stream of additional long-term financing for investments in priority areas such as disease surveillance, laboratory systems, and health workforce strengthening – with the goal of containing emerging outbreaks and preventing pandemics. The devastating human, economic, and social costs of COVID-19 have underscored the urgent need for coordinated action to build stronger health systems and mobilize additional resources for pandemic PPR. Recognizing the need to address chronic underinvestment in pandemic PPR capacity, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors requested in April 2022 that the World Bank Group explore the establishment of a new financing mechanism.