KUWAIT: The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development (KFAED) signed a grant agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday, committing $5 million in funding for the program aimed at eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Africa. According to a press release from the Fund, the program, known as the “Expanded Special Project for Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases” (ESPEN), targets the control and eradication of a group of neglected tropical diseases across 47 African countries that are severely affected by these illnesses.

The fund explained that the program will directly benefit over 400 million people by providing approximately 750 million tablets of medicine annually. The WHO will oversee the technical supervision and financial management of the program through its regional office in Africa. The grant marks the ninth collaboration between KFAED and the WHO in the area of humanitarian support.

Since 1994, Kuwait has contributed a total of around $20 million to WHO, funding eight different projects. The agreement was signed by KFAED’s Acting Director General Waleed Al-Bahar and Dr Assad Hafeez, WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Mission in Kuwait. The Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development is a key development tool that fully relies on its own resources to provide concessional loans and aid aimed at helping developing countries finance their developmental projects. — KUNA