Geneva, May 28 (IANS): The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the creation of the WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making entity that will support the organization's efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday at a virtual press conference from Geneva that the idea to support the establishment of the WHO Foundation dated back to February 2018, and "today it gives us enormous pleasure to launch it officially", Xinhua reported.

"For WHO to fulfil its mission and mandate, there is a clear need to broaden our donor base, and to improve both the quantity and quality of funding we receive," he said.

According to the WHO, headquartered in Geneva, the Foundation will support global public health needs by providing funds to the WHO and trusted implementing partners, but is legally separate from WHO.

A WHO spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday in a press release that in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO Foundation will initially focus on emergencies and pandemic response, and will also raise and disburse funds for all WHO global public health priorities.